The Uncertainty of Life
by Raven45
Summary: Hermione finds out a secret about her family, and has to shoulder the responsibility in carries.
1. Bittersweet Summer

Disclaimer: None of this is mine, the characters, setting and basically everything that you recognise are sadly not my creations so I will endeavour to keep everything the same and everyone in canon. Don't sue me.

A/N: This idea was originally my friends. She has since stopped writing but she generously donated this story to me. I have changed a few things about it but she has given me full permission, so if you recognise anything that's why. Hope you like it, please tell me what you think.

Raven

Chapter One: Bittersweet Summer.

As a child summers always seemed sunny and lazy. It felt like all you did was play on the beach or in the garden. Yet childhood never seems to last as long as you like. From a young age you begin to covet the lifestyle of your elders, girls mimic their mothers, they long to wear make up and high heeled shoes. Boys are not as bad, but they sometimes try to act like their fathers, some even copy what they hear them say.

When you reach adulthood however you realise how easy life really was, and as your responsibilities begin to mount you always wish that you were back in those carefree sunny days.

That is how Hermione felt right now, as she sat at home in the not so sunny summer holidays. She would soon be entering her final year at school. She had been filling out University forms all summer ready to send off when the school year started again. She was nervous about the prospect. It was nothing to with getting the grades, she was confident that she would be able to achieve the marks needed, after all she had been studying over summer and had always had the highest marks in her year. No it was the prospect of leaving the safety of Hogwarts. You always think that school is the worst place on earth and you spend your whole time there working towards that leaving day. But when reality hits you, and you suddenly realise that you have to leave the security blanket that is school, behind and make your own way. It's a pretty daunting prospect.

Those had been her thoughts through out most of the holiday. Suddenly the telephone rang, bringing her out of her thoughts. She picked up the white receiver and greeted the caller.

"Hello."

Hello," the familiar male voice on the other end said, "it's Harry." 

Hermione smiled. They had both lived Muggle lives until getting their Hogwarts letters. They now knew they were Wizards yet they still used the telephone to talk. Old habits die-hard.

"Oh, hi Harry," she said feeling more cheerful at hearing her friend, "how are you?"

"Fine thanks, you?" He asked 

"Great, a little scared about our last year, you know?" 

"Yeah, but don't worry love, you'll be fine. Listen I called because I got an owl from Ron inviting me to go to his, Bill and Charlie are at home for a few weeks, their having a kinda party. Ron asked me to ask you." 

"Okay, sounds great," she said feeling a lot happier now.

"Cool, me and Ron will be at yours about seven, okay? Get your stuff packed, you and Ginny are rooming together again." 

"Great, see you then."

They said their goodbyes and put down the receivers.

Hermione got her stuff packed and sure enough at seven o'clock a familiar whooshing noise came from the chimney. Her parents were still amazed by the floo process but they were no longer surprised by anything strange that happened in their house these days.

"Hello boys." Mrs Granger greeted the two young men standing in their living room covered in soot.

"Sorry about the soot, Mrs Granger," Harry choked out causing more soot to fall on the light blue rug.

"Don't worry, I'm used to it now," she said going into the cupboard for the vacuum cleaner.

"Got everything love?" Mr Granger asked. "Take your mobile in case we want to get in touch with you," he turned to Ron. "Oh and Ron here's that biro that your father wanted to see," and he handed him a blue biro pen with Parker written on it. 

Once Hermione was finally sorted they got ready to leave.

Ron went first. He had got really tall over the years. He had always been the tallest in their trio but he had really shot up recently. His hair still the same flame red, which he kept short in a vain attempt to hide just how red it was. He was well built from all the Quidditch he played, which was just as well considering the amount he ate.

Harry went next. He was more Hermione's size. He hadn't grown all that much really and he was thin and wiry, perfect seeker's physique. He had resorted to using Muggle hair gel to try and control his wild black hair, but to no avail. The hair had a mind of it's own.

Hermione kissed her mother and father and left for the Weasley's house via the fireplace.

Once on the other side she found herself standing in front of Mr Weasley who greeted her with a warm smile.

"You must thank you father for the pen," he beamed looking lovingly at the pen as if it was a family pet, "it's just what I always wanted."

He led Hermione into the kitchen, saying it was time for lunch. The kitchen was small, but the amount of people crowded into it made it seem just that little bit smaller.

All the Weasley's were there. Ginny, with her short bobbed ginger hair that was so silky, Hermione couldn't help but feel envious. She was sitting by Harry, and kept giving him sideways glances, to see if he was looking at her. He wasn't.

There was Charlie, as handsome as ever, his hair spiky now. He was showing off the burn on his leg, enjoying making Ginny go Ewwww.

Fred and George, still had that mischievous glint in their eyes and kept whispering to each other

Then there was Bill. He was the coolest, although Hermione had quite a soft spot for Fred and George. His long hair tied back, and he was wearing an earring that was a silver dragon. Charlie had bought it him for his birthday.

And last but certainly not least was Percy

The day was fun and lively. There was a Quidditch match in the big field and Hermione was the referee as she was not a very good flyer.

By the end of the day they were worn out and so full of food that they thought they would burst. For once the summer seemed sunny, like it had done when they were children.

Harry and Hermione were lying on the grass looking up at the darkening sky. 

"Have you ever considered, you know, getting together with Ron?" Harry asked. Hermione laughed.

"Maybe once, but we're such good friends, you know?" Harry nodded in understanding.

"Yeah, I get ya. That's the same with Ginny and me. I love her like a friend, but I just don't feel anything else for her. I wish I did."

"Well romance is over rated anyway," Hermione said reaching over to touch Harry's hand. On contact she felt an electric tingle go through her. They both sat bolt upright.

"Did you feel that?" Harry asked looking at his hand in amazement.

"Yeah, wow, must be static," Hermione said her logical mind coming up with the only logical explanation.

Speaking no more about it they went off into the house, where everyone was talking noisily.

"Where have you two been," Ron asked his mouth full of more food.

"Just talking, lying down so as to help our bodies digest the amount of food we've eaten," Hermione said not believing how much food Ron could stuff down his throat.

He gave Harry an expression that said, "I only asked," and continued eating his food.

A large snowy owl, very much like Hedwig, Harry's owl came soaring through the window and landed on the table by Bill.

He took the envelope from the bird and feed it some scraps from the table. He looked at the envelope. It was written in black ink and the writing was elegant and italic.

"Has Bill got a secret admirer," George teased craning his neck to see what was written in the letter.

"No I haven't, unfortunately," he replied pushing his brother away to prevent him seeing whatever he letter contained.

"I recognise that handwriting though," Percy said trying to hide his interest, "anyone we know, Bill?"

"Bloody hell, you're a nosy lot aren't you. Haven't you got better things you can do other than pry into my private life?"

They laughed and left it at that, but they all remained curious about Bill's mystery correspondent.

That night they all went to bed and fell asleep immediately, so tired after their day of fun. Ginny wasn't in a very good mood though. She was always pining after Harry, and although he spent a lot of time with her it was never anything more than friendship. Hermione wished that her friend could move on and find someone who wanted her that way, who wasn't as blind as Harry or as stupid.

This summer had felt very bittersweet. She was happy that she was with her friends and they had had such a great time, but still there was this feeling of foreboding that she couldn't quite place. 

At the Granger's house the phone rang. It was really late, who could be phoning at this time of night.

Mr Granger answered the telephone and mumbled a sleepy 'hello.'

"Hello Mr Granger, this is Dr Morris, I'm afraid I have some bad news for you."


	2. Life is Full of Surprises

Disclaimer: The original disclaimer still applies.

A/N: I forgot to mention that this is a HG/SS fic, but that is more of a sub plot, and to make my protagonists life more complicated (he he).

Please review.

Chapter Two: Life is Full of Surprises.

Hermione woke up the next morning her back aching from having slept in the small sleeping bag on Ginny Weasley's bedroom floor. She kicked the patched up sleeping bag away and wriggled out of it.

Ginny had already gone downstairs. She threw on her clean clothes, a pair of jeans and a Quicksilver shirt. She was just about to leave and head downstairs when she heard and tinkling monotone sound coming from her overnight bag.

She reached into it and pulled out her mobile phone.

"Hello," she answered.

"Hello love," her mother replied, her usually soothing voice sounding distraught and worried, "listen we're sorry to disturb your fun but we've had some bad news, and there is something we need to tell you."

Hermione agreed that she would come home straight away, and she packed her phone back into her bag.

Once downstairs she explained her situation to the Weasley's and Mrs Weasley was very adamant that she leave straight away.

Hermione got her stuff together and in no time at all she wasstanding in her living room covered in soot.

Her mother greeted her and told her to sit down.

"Now, Hermione," she began, "we found out last night that your grandmother, your fathers mother, has died."

Hermione didn't know how to feel about this revelation. Her father and her grandmother had fallen out years ago and had never spoken again. She had never knoe her grandmother, so how can you miss someone who've never known.

"That isn't the last of it though. We also found out that she was in fact a," she stumbled over her words slightly, "a witch, just like you."

Hermione was crestfallen. She had always thought that she came from a completely Muggle family. 

"How, I mean, what?" Hermione stuttered, feeling speechless for perhaps the first time in her life. 

"She, er, she's been living a what do you call it, Muggle lifestyle? She never told your father. It very surprising that he isn't a Wizard."

That meant that her father was a Squib? She couldn't get over this announcement. Not only was she not from a completely Muggle family, but her father was a Squib, al she needed to know was that she was related to the Malfoys and she really would have hit rock bottom.

"Why? Why did grandmother live as a Muggle?" Hermione asked. Her mother shook her head.

"I don't know my love," the soothing voice back again, "I really don't know."

A week went by and Hermione hadn't spoken to any of her friends. She didn't want to tell them about her grandmother, she was afraid that it would change everything, the way they felt about her, the way they acted around her.

When her list for her school supplies arrived she realised that she would have to get on with her life. She had been moping around for too long, she had work to get on with, school to finish exams to pass. With the prospect of returning back to work she brightened up, and as she went down the list of supplies she felt excitement at the prospect of learning new and advanced magic.

Her father took her to into the centre of London. He didn't want to admit it to his daughter but he was slightly jealous that she possessed a talent that by rights he should have as well. He wanted so much to be a part of her world, but he realised that he was just an outsider, it was a horrible feeling.

"You know dad," Hermione said in an attempt to help him, "Filch has a book or something that teaches him to do magic, Harry told me about it, perhaps you could get one."

He smiled down at his daughter, with those simple words she had dispelled all the hostility and envy he felt. How could he stay mad at her?

"That's alright love," he said and they went into the Leaky Cauldron.

They moved through the smoky atmosphere and out the backdoor. They moved around the dustbins and walked up to the wall, tapping the stones in the correct order. They had to get to Diagon Alley this way because the floo made Mr Granger sick.

They stepped through the arch and on to Diagon Alley. Hermione loved this place. It was cheerful and practically buzzing with the magic that it contained. Harry says the atmosphere is very different to Knockturn Alley, which is dark and dismal and must have been frightening for a young boy of twelve.

"Hermione!" Shouted a deep familiar voice. She looked up to see Ron waving at her. He was standing with his dad whose eyes lit up when he saw Mr Granger. The two had become quite good friends, a friendship that had started of with Mr Weasley's fascination with everything Muggle.

"Hey, Ron," she said actual feeling much better for seeing her friend. She always forgets how happy her friends make her. "Where are Harry and Ginny?"

"Oh, they came down here this morning, apparently Harry needed to talk to Ginny," Ron said raising one eyebrow I a silent question. Hermione shrugged, not wanting to get into this conversation.

"Why don't you two go off and get your stuff," Mr Weasley said patting his son on the shoulder awkwardly as Ron was so much taller, "me and your dad'll just go and have some coffee."

The two men walked off and Ron and Hermione went to get their supplies. Once finished they sat outside a small coffee shop where they had expected to see Mr Weasley and Mr Granger, but they where nowhere to be seen.

"Dad must have got asking him questions," Hermione said putting down her shopping and stretching her back that was stiff from all the walking and carrying.

"He getting curious then? About the magic you learn?" Hermione nodded, amking a sudden decision to get this off her chest.

"Listen, Ron," she started, "if I tell you something will you promise not to tell anyone?" Ron nodded. "I was called away from your place because my grandmother had died."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Hermione."

"Don't be, I never met her. My dad had an argument with her and they lost conact. Anyway," she continued, "we found out that she was actually a Witch."

Ron looked at her incredulously.

"Honest?" He asked his mouth hanging open, making him look gormless. 

"Yes, honest. It turns out that I'm not actually a Muggle born. My father is a Squib," Hermione said quietly. Being a Squib is more shameful than being a Muggle born in the world of centuries old, pureblood Wizards, like Malfoy.

"Bloody hell. Something really horrible must have happened to your grandmother," Ron said.

"Why something horrible?"

"Well think about it, would you give up your Magical lifestyle?" Ron asked.

Hermione had to admit that she wouldn't. She couldn't imagine anything that would make her want to give up the Magic and the whole Wizard community. She would put up with a hundred more Malfoys, and she would probably have to do that in her lifetime, just to stay a part of all that.

Ron's words kept going round and round in her head. What had made her grandmother leave the Wizarding world? Why would anyone do that, renounce the world that she loved?

Those questions stayed in her mind for the remainder of the holiday and she was still thinking about them as she boarded the Hogwarts Express, for what was to be her last journey to Hogwarts as a student, perhaps ever.

"Hermione," Harry said trying to get her attention, "are you alright, you're very quiet."

Hermione smiled, her friends concern was touching if not slightly annoying.

"She's fine, probably mentally preparing herself for all the learning she's going to do," Ron said winking at Hermione, letting her know that he wasn't going to give away her secret. Hermione smiled back at him as way of a thank you.

Their compartment door opened and Neville Longbottom came in. He smiled at them and said hello.

"Can I come in here, all the others are full?" He said, his brown, puppy dog like eyes pleading with them.

"Sure," Harry said, "have a nice summer?"

"Alright, bit boring," he walked up to where Hermione was sitting, "Shift up a bit."

He tapped Hermione on the shoulder and a sudden jolt of electricity shot from him through her.

"Ouch!" She yelped. "Bloody hell, Neville!" She rubbed her shoulder.

  
"Sorry," he pleaded once more, "it must static from this carpet." He rubbed the sole of his shoe on the carpet to emphasise his point.

"Just sit over there," Hermione said pointing towards Harry and Ron who seemed highly amused by this display.

When they arrived at the station, the four friends piled into a carriage, which would take them to the castle itself. Hermione loved this place. It was so old fashioned and spooky, but at the same time there was no where she felt safer.

They pulled up and walked into the cavernous entrance hall, the walls lined with portraits of old Wizards and Witches, and picturesque scenes from hundreds of years ago. Each picture moving, living that specific moment in time over and over again.

They then filed into the great hall, each taking their places at the specific tables, amongst their house mates.

They were all seated and waiting for the arrival of the new students, each student remembering the sickening feeling of butterflies in the stomach they got when they where waiting to be sorted. 

Professor McGonagall rose from her seat at the staff table and walked towards the double doors. On the way however she stopped and leant down to whisper to Hermione. As she got closer Hermione smelled the familiar scent of rose water which became stronger as she leant down.

"The Headmaster would like a word with you after the feast," she said with a friendly pat on the shoulder and them walked of, her long green cloak making a swishing sound on the stone floor.

"What's that about?" Harry asked confused. "Why does Dumbledore want to talk to you?"

"Probably about Head girl duties," she said, as she had no idea herself what the Headmaster wanted to see her about.

They left it at that and soon the new students were walking in looking every bit as nervous as last years had, and the year before that, and the year before that etc, etc, etc.

Then the feast began, and every student tucked in as if they hadn't had a decent meal since the last sorting feast. Ron was helping himself to piles of food, despite the fact that he hadn't stopped eating all summer.

"How was your summer Harry?" Seamus Finnigan asked in his broad Irish accent. "How did you get on with those relatives of yours?"

"Alright, considering," Harry said, "they kind of leave me alone now, and I go out a lot, as long as I promise not to talk to anyone."

"Can you believe it," Ron said cutting through the conversation, "we have the same Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher as last year."

Professor Moore had joined the staff the beginning of last year, and despite the curse that was rumoured to be over the job she had survived and was back for another year.

She was a bizarre sort of person. She had very dark skin and was well built, friendly looking but definitely not someone you'd want to cross. Her dark brown hair was cut short and was styled so that it flicked out at the end. She had become a fashion guru to some of the female students, especially Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. Gryffindor's own resident Barbie Dolls.

They were chattering on endlessly about their Divination homework.

"Don't tell me you actually believe in all of Trelawny's rubbish," Hermione said irritated by the superior attitude that they both developed when talking about Divination.

"We've had a lot of accurate predictions," Lavender said annoyed by Hermione's words.

"Oh, any about me," Hermione started, "don't tell me, erm, a tall, dark handsome man will sweep me off my feet."

"You may laugh, but we know you're just jealous because you have no sight," with that they turned to each other and resumed their conversation. 

When the feast had finished Harry and Ron headed off towards the Gryffindor common room and Hermione separated from them and went to Dumbledore's office.

She walked up towards the gargoyle when she suddenly realised that she had no idea what the password was. She stood there for a few seconds when the Gargoyle moved on it's own. She moved forward but suddenly slammed into something solid and pitch black. She looked up startled and she met the eyes of her Potions teacher Professor Snape. 

His eyes were black and lifeless most of the time but as she looked up they flashed with anger and then returned to their dead state.

"Watch where you are going, stupid girl," he snarled his lip curling in distaste.

She went to say sorry but before she could he had walked away in a flurry of black.

Hermione walked up the steps into Dumbledore's office and was greeted by the smiling face of the Headmaster, his blue eyes twinkling from behind those half moon spectacles.

"Miss Granger, glad you could make it," he said motioning for her to sit down.

Hermione sat down in a comfortable worn out chair that was placed opposite Dumbledore's desk. He sat on the other side of the desk and leaned back.

"May I offer my sincere condolences for the loss of your grandmother," he said in a calm, solemn voice.

"Well thank you Headmaster, but I didn't know her. I never even saw a picture of her," Hermione said.

"I am sure that it was a shock for your father though."

"Well yes, she was his mother after all."

"And I'm sure it came as a shock to find out about your grandmother's true identity," the old man said looking straight into Hermione's eyes.

"You know?" She asked and he nodded in reply. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It was not my place to tell you. If I had I would be betraying a secret, you wouldn't have really wanted me to do that, would you?"

Hermione had to admit that she didn't. She had always admired the Headmaster's ability to always do the right thing. 

"Why? Why did she live as a Muggle?" Hermione asked quietly, hoping the Headmaster could shed some light on this matter.

"It is something that, now she has died, is left to you," he said cryptically, "something," he continued, "that she felt she couldn't handle."

"What?" Hermione asked not liking the sound of this.

"You are aware that this school was set up by the four founders?" Hermione nodded, "And that the house in the school are named after them?"Hermione nodded again confused about where this was all heading. "Well, they where the most powerful Wizards of their time, and of course they were always worried about their safety, so they hired so one to look after them."

"Like a bodyguard," Hermione cut in.

"Yes, exactly. Anyway this person was extremely powerful and if one of the founders were in danger their protector would be called to them."

"What has this got to do with my grandmother?" 

"Well just like the founders had heirs, so did the protector. The founders wanted the protectors heir to protect their heir, if you get my meaning," Dumbledore said, feeling like he hadn't explained this very well.

"You mean the my grandmother was the protectors heir?"

"Exactly, and she felt it was too much responsibility. Really there isn't much need for a protector these days, but if you feel that you cannot handle this then we can terminate your scholarship here and you can live like your grandmother."

Hermione thought about this. Her immediate reaction was to say no, that she would never give up this life. But she kept thinking about her grandmother. She had felt it was too much responsibility. Before she made up her mind she had to ask one more question.

"How can you tell if someone is an heir?" Dumbledore thought about this question.

"Well, many have said that when an heir touches them they can feel,"

  
"Electricity," Hermione finished already knowing the answer.

"Yes, electricity," Dumbledore paused for a moment, looking at Hermione, "as I have said, if you feel this is too much you must come and tell me."

Hermione shook her head.

"No, this is what I have to do. I don't want to give up on magic. I don't think I could do that."

With their conversation over Dumbledore dismissed Hermione. As she walked a long the corridors towards the Gryffindor common room she thought about everything. Should she view this as a blessing or a curse.

She stopped in the corridor just by the portrait entrance to the common room. She took a deep breath.

"I can do this," she said and went through the portrait hole. 


	3. It's Amazing What You'll Tell Someone Wh...

A/N: Please review. Please, please, please. (Gives puppy dog eyes.) Hope you like this chapter.

Chapter Three: It's Amazing What You Will Tell Someone Who Doesn't Care. 

Hermione had been worrying unnecessarily. Dumbledore was right, there really was not much need for a protector these days. So far she had only ever experienced the electricity twice, so she avoided contact with Neville and Harry, and felt lucky that they weren't very tactile people.

Soon they got into their school routine and everything was back to normal, and it made Hermione feel much better.

Their routine was broken suddenly by an appearance of Harry's godfather. Sirius Black was yet to be pardoned, but he was secretly working for Dumbledore and every so often he made an appearance in the school, usually at night when no one would be up. He'd sneak in and wake Harry so that he could spend some time with him.

"So how are things going then?" Harry asked referring to the work against Voldemort.

"Not so good, every move we make he's ready for. It looks as if we have a traitor in our midst."

That was all it took to bring Harry's dormant paranoia to life again. Those few words from Sirius got Harry playing detective again, and pointing the finger at anyone he didn't like. First up Professor Severus Snape, Potions teacher, ex Death Eater and the founder of the We Hate Harry Potter club.

"I bet it's him," Harry said, Ron nodded but Hermione rolled her eyes. "I mean he was right in with Voldemort, he might not be on our side after all."

"Oh please," Hermione cut in startling Harry and Ron out of their conversation. "How many times are you going to this. Nearly every year you try to blame him for something and every year your wrong. Okay so Snape's not a nice bloke, in fact he's a complete bastard, but that doesn't mean that he's Voldemort's spy."

Her two friends were standing there giving her a strange look, then their eyes shifted to look over her shoulder.

  
"He's standing right behind me isn't he?" She asked.

  
"Yes, he is," a deep, silky, dangerous voice came from behind her. She turned slowly, and looked up. She had expected him to look angry but in fact he didn't seem to have any expression. His face was completely neutral, his eyes still not radiating any emotion, his lips didn't look as thin when he wasn't angry, they were still nearly non existent.

"Sorry professor," she started but he cut her off sharply.

"I don't nee to hear about it, just go away before I take points of each of you."

He walked off, the students standing in the hallways making way for him. Harry and Ron turned to Hermione.

"Well done, Hermione," Ron said, "we have Potions soon as well."

"Don't blame me, I was defending him, you were the ones saying he was in league with Voldemort," Hermione said crossing her arms over her chest and giving the two boys a disapproving look.

"Can you stop saying that name," Ron said covering his ears.

"Don't be sad, Ron," Harry said walking off, Ron and Hermione trailing behind him.

Harry and Ron went off to Divination, leaving Hermione on her own. She had tried to take all the subjects that were open to the students but after a near emotional breakdown she had to give up one. She had chosen to drop Divination, and Professor Trelawny had not minded in the least. So she now had a free period.

In the corridor near the transfiguration classroom a young girl was standing looking completely lost. She looked as if she was about to burst into tears any second, so Hermione thought she'd better help, she was Head Girl after all.

"Are you alright?" She asked in a soft voice so she didn't scare the girl any more.

"I was supposed to give this to Madame Pomfrey in the hospital wing, but the staircase moved and now I can't find my way," the girl said, clutching a bottle of something or other to her chest.

"Oh right well, don't worry you'll get used to this place, I'll show the way."

The young girl followed Hermione to the hospital wing. Hermione went further in to see if Madame Pomfrey was about.

She was in the office in the back and she could hear her talking to someone so she thought she'd better wait. 

She was talking to a man, the voice was familiar.

"You can't keep on like this, Severus," she said, "you should get yourself looked at properly."

"I can't, I don't have time, besides the potion stops the pain. I'll be fine," he said in reply, and Madame Pomfrey made a huffing noise. "I am the best monitor of my own health."

"Oh don't give me that, you wouldn't admit if you were dying," Madame Pomfrey retorted.

"Just leave me alone, Poppy," he said back, but it wasn't in his usual sneering voice, it was more like a plea.

He walked out of the office and Hermione tried to pretend like she wasn't listening.

Snape saw her standing by the door and he gave her a suspicious look.

"I'm beginning to think you're stalking me," he said in a bored tone.

"No, I was just, er," Snape chuckled lightly as she stumbled over her words. Hermione did a double take at this.

"I was only joking, I know you're not really stalking me," he chuckled again, "the very idea is ridiculous."

He walked off again and Hermione was stood there amazed that Snape had laughed and had even made a joke. Putting that with the conversation she had overheard in Madame Pomfrey's office, she decided that her Professor was not a well man.

Once the young first year student had got everything sorted out, Hermione went to the common room and finished off her Arithmancy homework. This was turning out to be a most bizarre year, and she had a horrible feeling that it was about to get worse.

When that period was over there was the dinner hour and then another two lessons. Hermione met Harry and Ron in the great hall and they looked thoroughly depressed after their Divination lesson.

"Honestly though, telling poor Neville that he would be put in mortal danger. The poor bloke isn't gonna sleep for weeks," Ron said shaking his head in disbelief.

"I can't believe Dumbledore lets her teach here, she obviously a fraud," Harry said piling mashed potato onto his plate.

Hermione wasn't listening. She was looking up at the staff table. Snape was sitting at the end, rubbing his right temple with two fingers, his eyes screwed shut in what looked like pain. Madame Hooch was sitting next to him, she looked at him and placed her right hand over his left, which was resting on the table. He looked up at her and said something, she said something back but he shook his head in a dismissive manner and stood up, exiting the hall via the door at the back.

She had never cared about her Professor's welfare. She didn't even like the man, he had made her cry on numerous occasions and never missed a chance to put her down and make her feel small. Yet she was slightly worried about him now, she didn't understand why, she didn't care why, her life had been turned upside down this year so her perspective on life was a little different.

They ate their dinner then left for the dungeons where they would have their Potions lesson. They walked down the long dimly lit corridor towards the classroom, all the Gryffindors sticking close to each other not daring to venture down alone. 

They got to the door but it was locked. This was strange, the door was rarely locked and Hermione had seen Snape leave dinner early, so he should be here.

They stood outside talking quietly, no one really wanting to disturb the quiet of the dungeons. They saw a tall blonde haired boy come towards them and the trio groaned in unison, this was to be their first encounter with Draco Malfoy this year. As he got closer it became clear that he was not going to come and harass them at all. He just said,

"Alright Potter?" And he and his friends went to stand closer to the door.

They looked at each other in amazement.

"What is wrong with everybody this year?" Hermione asked, more to herself than anyone.

At that moment the door opened and their Professor stood in the doorway looking more dishevelled than ever, his clothes looked a bit crumpled and dusty, and he looked quite tired.

"Come in," he snapped sounding more irritable than ever. 

The class walked in and Hermione couldn't help but notice that there were broken vials and bottles that looked like they fell off the shelf.

"Be careful of the glass, I've sent for a House Elf to clean it up," he said seeing the direction of Hermione's gaze.

'This is getting weirder' Hermione thought.

He set the class a writing assignment and sat behind his desk writing and marking papers. He dismissed the class a bit early but nobody complained. The class left all feeling happy that they had got out and not a single point had been removed from Gryffindor house. Harry, Ron and Hermione were the only ones to realise how worrying this was. But Harry and Ron had little time for the man so they spoke about their concerns but left it at that. Hermione couldn't stop thinking about it.

That night the three friends were sitting in the common room when Hedwig flew in and dropped a letter on Harry's lap. He read it and as soon as his face lit up Hermione and Ron realised that it was from Sirius.

"Is he here?" Ron asked and Harry nodded.

"He wants us to meet him at Hagrid's hut. We can go tonight, you coming Hermione?" Hermione thought about it but she had a lot of work to finish so she had to decline.

Ron and Harry left under Harry's invisibility cloak, leaving Hermione alone with her work. After about half an hour Hermione realised that she was regretting not going, she thought about how much fun they were probably having, listening to Sirius' hilarious stories.

She threw down her quill and left through the portrait hole. She realised the danger of leaving without the invisibility cloak, for even though she was Head Girl with the threat of Voldemort over all of them she was no longer exempt from the curfew.

She tried to tread lightly so that she wouldn't make much noise and she always looked around corners before she turned them.

As she was tiptoeing down the corridor she heard a creak in the floorboards behind her. She spun round and was face to face with Argus Filch the caretaker.

"Well, well, well," he said in his oily, creepy voice, "Head Girl disobeying the rules, tut tut."

He led her down the stairs to the dungeons. She knew where he was taking her. To the one person who dealt the harshest punishments.

He knocked on the door to Snape's office and they heard a mumbled, "come in."

Filch opened the door and they saw Snape sitting at his desk.

"I caught this one sneaking around. Head Girl, Gryffindor, disobeying the rules," he smirked. Snape looked up his expression neutral yet again.

"Thank you, I'll deal with this," he said to Filch who gave Hermione a disgusting smirk and said,

"Good luck," shutting the door behind him.

"Maybe I was wrong, maybe you are stalking me. You were going to see Black I presume?" Hermione nodded. "Go away, I can't be bothered with detention," he said waving his handed to dismiss her.

She was just about to go and thank whatever higher being there was that she had no detention, when curiosity got the better off her. She plucked up every bit of Gryffindor courage she had.

"Sir," she said and he looked up, "I don't mean to be rude or anything, but is there something wrong?"

"What makes you ask that?" He asked leaning back in his chair.

"Well, erm, you haven't given me detention, today you took no points from Gryffindor despite the fact that Lavender and Parvati were talking incessantly throughout the lesson you look worse than ever, no offence, so well….."

"You think there is something wrong with me?" He asked cutting her off. She nodded. "You are quite right," he said and she stood there expectantly. 

He sighed he may as well tell her. He would tell Albus but he didn't want to worry him, he'd made Poppy swear she wouldn't tell him anything she thought she knew. He needed to tell someone, and she is a perfect choice.

"You see, Miss Granger, I'm not sure how much longer I have left to live," he said and she was taken aback, "you are aware of the after effects of Cruciatus and Imperius?" She nodded. "Well it seems that I am paying for the mistakes of my youth. Cruciatus can send you made, I'm not sure which is worse, madness or the pain."

Hermione felt very sorry for him. Many believed that he had not paid the price for those mistakes he mentioned, they felt he should be in Azkaban right now, ut it seemed like he was being punished enough.

"I have good days and bad days. Today was particularly bad."

"Why did you tell me this?" Hermione asked softly.

"Besides the fact that you asked?" She smiled at his slight joke and nodded. "Because it's amazing what you'll tell someone who doesn't care," he said and Hermione felt this unusually heavy feeling in her chest. "Is that all, Miss Granger?"

She nodded and left saying good bye. Once outside she leant on the door and took a deep breath.

"But I do care," she whispered, "I don't know why, but I do."


	4. Why Didn't You Tell Me Hell Had Frozen O...

A/N: Thank you to my reviewers. I hope to have more reviews soon.

Chapter Four: Why Didn't You Tell Me Hell Had Frozen Over?

The next day was a Hogsmead visit and with Christmas drawing near the students were less preoccupied with study and were concentrating more on what they were going to buy people.

"I bought Hermione this," Ron said holding up a silver locket with an H engraved on it.

"Wow, that's really nice, must have cost a mint," Harry said wrapping the aftershave bought for Sirius.

"Yeah, but she's seemed pretty down recently so I thought," Ron left the rest unsaid. Harry smiled at his friend. Many thought him insensitive but sometimes he made such nice gestures. You had to really know Ron to fully appreciate him.

They were sitting in an old, disused classroom, so no one could see them wrapping their presents. Ron was sitting on one of the desks with wrapping paper and sellotape, sprawled out in front of him. Harry was sitting on a chair with all his wrapping paper and things neatly piled up on the desk in front.

They were chatting about their presents when they saw someone come to stand in the doorway. They looked up to see a blonde haired boy standing there. He looked sort of nervous but Harry and Ron didn't care.

"What do you want Malfoy?" Ron snapped pulling a piece of sellotape out of his red hair.

"I came to talk to you and Potter," he said carefully. He looked paler than usual which, coupled with his extremely blonde hair, made him look dead.

"Well?" Harry asked putting down his scissors, feeling that the temptation to throw them at him would become too much.

"I, erm," he stumbled and began to walk towards them. Harry made sure his wand was in reach not trusting Malfoy as far as he could throw him. "I wanted to apologise," he said quickly leaving Ron and Harry stunned.

"Sorry? For a moment there I thought you apologised," Harry said laughing at how ridiculous it sounded.

"I did, I've been a real dick-head over the years. I've done some thinking, and I've decided that I owe you an apology, take it or leave it," he finished then stood silent awaiting an answer.

"Can we get back to you on that one?" Harry asked and Malfoy nodded and left the room. Harry and Ron just sat there still in a state of shock.

Hermione was sitting in the library working on her Transfiguration homework. The sun was streaming through the window and across the table. Suddenly the light was blocked by something and Hermione looked up. It was Snape.

"Professor, what can I do for you?" She asked trying not to smile at him. Smiling at Snape was the first sign of madness.

"I've come to give you that detention you got out of yesterday," he said simply, a sparkle of humour showing through his black eyes.

"You're feeling better?" Hermione said showing a small smile this time, unable to contain it.

"For today," he said a hint of sadness in the usually cruel, harsh voice.

Harry and Ron came bursting in and rushed over to her table.

"Hermione," Harry said before noticing their Professor. "Oh, sorry Professor." Snape sneered at him then turned to Hermione.

"Eight o'clock, Miss Granger." He turned and left the library.

"What was that about?" Ron asked.

"Oh, I got caught out after curfew but he was too busy to give me a detention yesterday, so I got one today." The two boys looked at each and shrugged, but then remembered what they came in for.

They told Hermione what had happened with Malfoy, and when they had finished they asked Hermione what she thought.

"It does sound a bit suspicious, what do you suppose he wants?" 

"I don't know, do you really think he's changed?" Harry asked sitting on the desk, shifting Hermione's Transfiguration books over.

"Well he hasn't said anything horrible to us so far. The other day he just walked straight past us," Hermione said putting her books into her bag.

"Yeah, I'm still not sure, it could be a trick," Ron said, "I wouldn't put it past him."

"You two have real big conspiracy theories going on," Hermione said standing up to go. "I'm curious to see what he wants though, I'd play along, but be careful."

Hermione left the two boys to think as she went to her room to collect her books for the next lesson.

At the end of the day Harry and Ron went in search of Malfoy. They found him coming out if the great hall after dinner. 

"Malfoy," Harry said walking over to him, noticing that, for once, Crabbe and Goyle, his bodyguards did not flank him. "We've decided to forgive you for everything, and to put it all behind us."

"Nice one Potter," he said offering his hand as a peace offering, which Harry and Ron shook in turn.

"See you whenever then," Harry said, not really knowing how to be polite to Malfoy.

"See you," Malfoy replied, clearly having the same problem as Harry.

At eight o'clock Hermione went down to the dungeons for her detention. When she arrive Snape got her organising order forms for supplies. Hermione didn't miss the fact that this punishment was very lenient, for any teacher let alone Snape.

After about fifteen minutes of her detention, she thought that she might mention Malfoy's odd behaviour. After all who better to tell than his Head of House.

"Sir," she said and he looked up from his marking, "um, I thought I should let you know that Draco Malfoy apologised to Harry and Ron today."

He raised one black eyebrow in response, and said,

"What do suppose I should do about it?" He asked.

"Well, I don't know," she said, "but I thought you ought to know, being his Head of House and fellow Harry Potter hater."

He chuckled lightly at this, the third time this week she'd heard that sound. She was feeling very privileged.

"I never said hated him," Snape argued.

"You don't have to, if looks could kill Harry would've died at the sorting feast seven years ago." Hermione smiled, not quite believing that she was having a decent, almost amusing conversation with Snape.

"Yeah well if looks could kill I'm sure potter could give me a run for my money. Did you see the look he gave me when he thought I was the one after the Philosophers Stone," he chuckled again, "that is the only time a student has tried to play me at my own game." His smile had not faded. "You must admit the kid's got balls, even if he is an irritating little shit."

Hermione raised her eyebrows at his expletive, and the obvious praise he had given Harry.

"I don't like him," he continued, "but I never said I hated him. If you've finished you may go." He got back to work again, and Hermione walked to the door. "oh and Miss Granger," she turned, "detention same time tomorrow, for misinterpreting my behaviour."

Hermione should have been outraged, but the edge of humour in her Professor's tone made her smile, and say,

"Yes Professor."

Hermione bounced out of the room, too happy to look like she'd just had a detention with Professor Snape. 

Snape leaned back in his chair and watched his student virtually skip down the corridor. Why had he asked her to come back tomorrow? What was that all about?

He had been thinking about Miss Granger all day, ever since he decided to take her into his confidence, not something he did lightly. He wanted to tell Albus, because he hated lying to the old man, but he would just worry and that would get them nowhere.

So why Granger? He had found it easier to tell her because she didn't care. He was horrible to her and had made her cry, so why should she care if he was going to live or die? He also didn't care what she thought of him. To her, perfect Granger, best friend to the Boy Who Lived, he was worthless, but he had no time for the celebrated hero's of this world, although if he was honest he wouldn't mind a little bit of recognition. With the pain he had to put up with, it was the least the Ministry could do. But no, they can't be seen to support Death Eaters whether they're still active or not. 

Yet Granger did seem to care. She had been almost happy to see him looking so well this morning. Little did she know that he was still suffering a great deal.

For a moment his vision went a bit blurry and his head felt like it was floating. He knew how to deal with it though, he'd had this trouble long enough to recognise the signs.

He pulled his over tired body out of the chair and stumbled into his storeroom, where he reached for a bottle on the highest shelf, where no one like Longbottom could reach it.

It was a sedative, enough to knock him out until the pain subsided. He downed the thick syrupy contents of the bottle and placed it on a lower shelf so he would remember to refill it. 

He had got out of his office when he realised that he would not make it to his bed before the potion took effect. He fell into the chair as the potion took hold of him. He folded his arms on his desk to cushion his head as he fell into a heavy drug induced sleep.

When he woke up the next morning his back and neck where stiff from the position he'd been in all night. He stretched to try and relieve the stiffness and at the same time realised that the pain had subsided. 

He rubbed his eyes and stood up feeling his spine click as it straightened. A knock came at the door and he told them to come in. Draco Malfoy walked in.

"Mr Malfoy," he said with the nasty, sly smile that he reserved for Malfoy Jr. "What can I do for you?"

"I've, erm," he mumbled moving further into the room, "I, well my father wants me to be friends with Harry Potter." While the words soaked in to the Professors sleep addled brain a silence fell, an eerie sort of silence that Draco felt was suffocating him.

"Why?" Was the simple question that Snape asked once he'd got over the initial shock of Malfoy's statement.

"I think he wants someone to get inside information, for erm, well I think you know who for."

"So why have you told me?" Snape asked cautiously not sure of Malfoy's motives.

"Because I want out," he said plainly. "The other day my fathers friend came around to our house and they were chattingo about 'old times.' About how many people had died for their cause and how many people would die soon. They were talking about how they got information out of people, the tortures they used, and to be honest it made me feel sick." When Malfoy was finished Snape almost felt sorry for the boy. Almost.

"Again I have to ask, why are you telling me?" Snape asked, needing to be absolutely sure about what the young boy knew.

"Because you got out, I know you're working for Dumbledore.." Malfoy was cut of as his professor stood up suddenly.

"Does your father know?" He demanded, not missing the look of fear on Malfoy's pale face.

"No, of course he doesn't. He just thinks your being cautious." Snape relaxed at this. "I know about you," he continued, "because I live here, I see it, I see the trust Dumbledore has in you. The man might be a bit daft but he's not a complete fool, he wouldn't trust you if he didn't have merit."

"Sit down Mr Malfoy." Snape gestured to the chair opposite his desk and he sat down too.

"When I was younger, when Voldemort wasn't around anymore," Malfoy started, "it used to be great, me my father and my mother, but when I was in my first year here and it became obvious that Voldemort was trying to come back everything went wrong. Father doesn't speak to my mother and I unless he has to. I was so pleased when he took me to get my school supplies when I was in my second year, you know it was something we were doing together, but it turned out that he only wanted to do that so he could give the diary to Potter. Voldemort's work again. He keeps telling me that I will join him at Voldemort's side and tells me of all the things that he did when he was my age. I can't do any of that, I may act like I'm brave around everyone but I'm not, I'm shit scared of most dark magic. Some Slytherin I make." 

When Malfoy had finished Snape just stared at him. He never thought he'd see the day when a Malfoy came to him asking for help. He wanted to help the boy. He didn't want him to make the same mistake as he did at his age, to have him end up in Azkaban or in the same state as he was in.

"Father wants me to make friends with Potter, act like I've had a change of mind about Voldemort and then keep him updated on Potter's whereabouts." 

"So what do you propose we do?" Snape asked leaning back in his chair.

"I want to go on pretending I'm doing what my father wants, I'll feed him false information, in this place he'll never know, at the same time I'll give you information about Voldemort and the rest of them."

"I see, you want to play at being a spy?" Malfoy nodded.

"I realise it could be dangerous, and as I've said I'm a complete coward so I can't promise I'll be much good at it, but I'd like to try."

"Alright, I'll speak with Dumbledore and then we'll have to arrange a meeting with Potter and his friends, they need to be told."

With that agreed Malfoy went off to breakfast leaving Snape to talk this over with Dumbledore.

Later that morning Snape sat in Dumbledore's office and told him Malfoy's story. The Headmaster made tea while he was listening and remained silent while the younger man told him the news and his personal opinion. When he had finished the Headmaster handed him his tea and sat in a chair opposite his friend.

"And you believe him?" Dumbledore said not really needing to here the answer.

"Yes, of course we will need to test him with veritiserum before he can carry this out, but he knows about my defection and he hasn't told his father, that in itself speaks volumes." Snape drank his tea, feeling the liquid warm him, he hadn't realised he was so cold.

"Yes I agree. I will tell Harry and his friends about this and what they need to do. The Slytherins will think Malfoy is working for Voldemort so they won't ask too many questions, and hopefully the Gryffindor's and most of the others will trust Harry's judgement."

Snape sneered at this but the Headmaster just smiled. Snape noticed this and felt compelled to ask a question that had been plaguing him since Potter's arrival at school.

"Why do you let me behave as I do towards Potter, and eeryone else for that matter?" The Headmaster smiled even more.

"For many reasons. One, not everyone in this world will be as nice to them as I am, the younger they are when they learn that the better. Two, because it would be all too easy for Harry to forget that he is just an ordinary child with faults. There is a danger that he would be swept away by his own publicity, sometimes he needs to be put in his place."

"And I'm the one to do that?" He asked.

"Yes, you and Malfoy do that job quite adequately between the both of you. I do reprimand you if you get too out of order though."

They carried on talking about anything and everything, like they had done a hundred times over the years. When they had finished Snape went to leave, but Dumbledore called him back for a moment. When he turned back he noticed the serious look on the older Wizard's face.

"How are you feeling?" The old man asked. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine Headmaster," Snape lied slightly, he felt fine _today_.

"Are you sure? You would tell me if anything was wrong?" The younger man nodded, not able to bring himself to speak the lie. "I will see you at the staff meeting then."

Snape turned and left feeling guilty for lying to Dumbledore.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were called into Dumbledore's office and he filled them in on the plan with Draco Malfoy.

"He will be tested with Veritserum, but I am of the firm belief that he is telling the truth," he said to the trio.

"So we'll have to pretend to be friends with him?" Ron asked, a look of disgust etched onto his face.

"I'm sure that you can do it, Mr Weasley, I'm sure all of you will."

"What about all the things he said to Hermione, he was really horrible," Ron protested further.

"It is time to put the past behind you, all of you, Mr Malfoy included." Dumbledore eyed them carefully as they all nodded their ascent. "Good, the staff will be informed of the change but the rest of the story is between the four of us, Mr Malfoy and Professor Snape."

"Snape?" Ron exclaimed in horror.

"Naturally, it was he who brought Mr Malfoy to my attention, and it's Professor Snape to you." Ron went as red as his hair and shuffled his feet nervously, mumbling an apology.

Outside Dumbledore's office the two boys began talking about the plan.

"And he said it was Snape's idea, if he is the one leaking the information to Voldemort like we thought then he's making Malfoy get information on you or something," Ron said whispering dramatically.

"I suppose," Harry said still deep in thought.

"Oh will you shut up!" Hermione shouted, the two boys looked around at her in shock. "Of course he's not the one leaking the information, Dumbledore trust him, isn't that enough?"

She walked off. She was unsure what had made her go off on one like that. Maybe it was because despite of everything they were still blaming Snape for every little thing.

She would apologise afterwards but she'd leave them to feel guilty about making her angry for a while.

The only subject at the staff meeting was the change in Malfoy's behaviour. All the staff were told was that Malfoy would be spending more time with Harry Potter and his friends and that there was a good reason, apart from that though they were kept in the dark. They reluctantly agreed not to ask questions.

After this serious meeting Professor Carla Moore went on to chastise Snape for his unfair behaviour towards any student who weren't in Slytherin. This lightened the mood of the staff meeting. Snape had always considered Minerva McGonagall to be a good sparring partner but she had nothing over Carla. She was sharp and quick-witted and Snape found he was rather fond of her.

"You know," she said her voice with only a slight African lilt, "you have some serious emotional issues." Snape nodded in agreement. "You need to see a psychiatrist."

"Perhaps you could give me the address of yours," Snape said in reply.

"I don't go to one." Snape turned his head to look at her and raised one eyebrow.

"Evidently," he said, his voice at it's lowest and silkiest. 

She huffed and feigned annoyance just before her face broke out in a smile.

"Okay, you win this time." 

Snape checked his watch, and stood up.

"As much as I'd love to sit here and chat with you," he paused to give Professor Moore a fake sneer, "people, but I have a detention to over see in a few minutes. Good day." He bowed politely and left.

Professors McGonagall and Moore looked at each other, rolled their eyes and then burst out laughing.

For her detention Hermione had to make a potion for healing small cuts and scratches. It was simple and rather boring. Usually when in detention with Snape you kept your mouth shut, in case you aggravated further, but Hermione found it hard to keep her mouth shut.

"How did the staff take the news about Malfoy?" She asked while stirring the thick grey solution with a wooden spoon.

"They weren't told everything, and they were surprised to say the least. No one likes being kept in the dark, especially these days," he said not taking his eyes off his marking.

"I can't believe it. Guess I'm going to have to try and be nice to Malfoy, that's weird." Snape put down his quill and looked at Hermione.

"You're in a very talkative mood," he said and Hermione blushed slightly.

"Sorry, a lot had happened today, and I shouted at Harry and Ron today so I haven't really spoken to anyone in a while."

"I see, nothing to do with my charming an sociable manner then," he said and Hermione laughed quietly.

"Um, well," she stumbled and Snape gave her an evil grin.

"Don't worry I know I'm an unsociable bastard," Hermione was shocked to yet again hear him swear, it must have showed because he rolled his eyes and got back to his marking.

There was a knock on the door and without waiting to be asked Sirius Black strode in, surveying the surroundings with distaste.

"What do you want?" Snape said through gritted teeth throwing down his quill.

"Oh, pleased to see you too sunshine," Sirius said sarcastically approaching the desk. "Remus' potion, full moon tomorrow."

Snape stood up and disappeared into the stock cupboard. Sirius noticed Hermione and his face lit up.

"Hermione, what are you doing here?" He asked giving her his most charming smile.

"Catching the Knight Bus, what does it look like?" She said pointing to the cauldron in front of her.

"What did you do this time?" He asked raising a thick black eyebrow.

"Not a lot," Hermione said smiling.

"Typical," Sirius said quietly but Hermione heard it. 

Snape returned with the bottle and shoved it into Sirius' hands. He sat back down and got back to his marking not wanting to say anything further to his old enemy.

"What are you doing giving this beautiful young woman a detention?" He asked pointing at Hermione who was blushing at his complement.

"Students get detention for their misbehaviour," Snape said simply not looking up. "Even if they are very beautiful," he added quietly. Hermione blushed even more and tried to hide behind her hair so Sirius couldn't see her smile.

Once Snape realised that they had both heard what he said he stood and abruptly left the room through a door Hermione had not seen before. Sirius just smiled at as he watched Snape walk away.

He turned to Hermione, who had by now regained full control of her emotions.

"You will come and see me, the next time I'm around?" He asked.

"Of course," Hermione said turning off the flame under the cauldron.

"Great." And with that he left.

Snape had retreated to his office where he was mentally kicking himself for saying such a stupid thing. The girl wasn't beautiful, she had big bushy hair that was a boring mousy brown colour and, well, she was ordinary. Not unattractive by any means but not beautiful. She did have a beautiful mind though, even if she was a bit too eager.

He took a second to compose himself then he went back in, noticing to his relief that Black had gone.

Hermione was pouring the healing potion into bottles and labelling them.

"You can clear up and go now," he said as she finished.

She picked up her wand and muttered a cleaning charm, and watched as a small brush appeared and started scrubbing the black cauldron. Snape sat down and rubbed his tired eyes. Hermione noticed this and began to worry.

"Are you okay?" She asked carefully. He didn't look up.

"I'm just tired, you would be too if you'd had to teach both Creevey brothers in one day." Hermione laughed

"I know what you mean. You know I wasn't actually sorry when Colin was petrified that time. It was kind of a relief, no more bloody pictures."

"Trust me you weren't half as relieved as I was," Snape said packing away his quill and ink. "Pass me those bottles." 

Hermione passed him one bottle at a time and he put them on the third shelf in the stock cupboard. As Hermione passed him the last bottle their hands touched and Hermione felt a crackle of electricity, not a jolt like with Neville but definitely something. He felt it too.

"What was that?" He asked his eyebrows knitted in confusion.

"Oh, sorry, I must be really susceptible to static electricity, that happens all the time," she said trying to laugh it off.

"You're bloody dangerous you are," Snape said brushing past her to leave but this time he felt no electricity. 

"I'll see you tomorrow then," Hermione said and went to leave.

"Sleep well, Miss Granger," Snape said as she left.

Once outside the door Hermione thought about the events of that evening. He had not only said she was beautiful but _very _beautiful, and then that electricity, surely he wasn't and heir, was he?

She walked away thoroughly confused and oddly elated at his early compliment. Men didn't usually say she was beautiful. 

So Malfoy was on their side, Neville was heir to one of the most powerful Wizards or Witches ever, Snape had called her beautiful and the scariest thing was, she had liked it. She began wondering just when hell had frozen over, and why no one had told her. 


	5. Promises, Promises

A/N: Thank for the reviews, they're great and I hope you like this new chapter.

Chapter Five: Promises, Promises.

Christmas soon came around and the castle was almost empty save for a few students. Harry of course wouldn't go home for Christmas if you paid him, and Ron wanted to stay with Harry. Due to it being her last year at school Hermione agreed to stay with the two boys, her parents fully understood.

Dumbledore had announced that there would be a Yule Ball this year for all the students staying at school, but the seventh years got to stay really late because they were seventeen and adults in the Wizarding world.

"I have to get a dress," Ginny said in an excited squeal. "Oh, but who am I going to go with?"

"There must be someone," Hermione said not fully listening to her friend, too busy reading.

"Last year I went with Harry, but I don't want to go with him," the younger girl said pouting in a sulky manner. She had been in a mood with Harry ever since they had that talk before school started. He had basically told her that he wasn't interested but he wanted to be her friend. She didn't take it too well.

"Who are you going with?" Ginny asked, as Hermione had not been to a Yule Ball since her fourth year when none other than Viktor Krum had escorted her.

Hermione shrugged. "I don't know. I'll probably end up going with either Harry or Ron if they don't get dates." Hermione didn't care much.

"Will you come with me to get my dress?" The young girl asked and Hermione silently groaned. She hated shopping with Ginny, she loved her very much but she was a pain in the ass to shop with.

"Okay, I need a dress anyway," Hermione said reluctantly, "we'll get them next weekend."

They agreed on that and Ginny went prattling on about how much she was so over Harry, it was a case 'me think thou doth protest too much.'

That night Hermione went to her room to get away from Ginny, Lavender and Parvati, who were chatting on about dresses and make-up and boys. 

She got changed into her night dress that was made of purple silk. She loved the way it felt on her skin, but she felt her breast looked massive in it. She wouldn't admit it to anybody else but Hermione, like the majority of young girls, was slightly insecure about her looks. Her hair was completely out of control and her breasts were out of proportion to the rest of her body, as she was small, and her breasts seemed huge.

She looked in the mirror. Was she really beautiful? She felt stupid, because Snape's words kept ringing in her ears, and whirling around in her head. She had been thinking about it ever since that night and was trying to analyse how she felt about it. It had certainly done her self-esteem a lot of good.

She got into bed and fell into a deep sleep, actually content with life. For the moment.

"Idiot boy!" Snape snarled at Neville as his cauldron started melting away, causing the potion inside to leak all over the floor. The substance was hot and some of it splashed over Parvati Patil, making her leap up and squeal in pain as it scolded her.

Some of it nearly went on Neville but Hermione suddenly felt compelled to push him out of the way, knocking him into a shelf which broke and shattered all the glass bottles. 

  
Snape, with a wave of his wand, cleared the spilled potion up and then ordered Neville to take Parvati to Madame Pomfrey. He then preceded to give him, and Hermione detention. At Hermione's look of outrage he gave a satisfied smirk and said,

"You destroyed valuable equipment."

"That was so unfair," Ron whined once they were outside the classroom. "I mean, Neville could've really hurt himself, you shouldn't have got detention."

Hermione didn't really want to get into this argument. Ron should be used to his unfair behaviour by now.

Malfoy was tagging along behind them, trying to look like a member of the group. He found it difficult to join in their conversations and the tension between him and Harry was still as thick as ever.

They were all sitting in the library later that day. Ron and Harry were making up their horoscopes for the next week, Hermione was reading a book on Advanced Arithmancy and Malfoy was doing his charms homework.

A large snowy owl swooped in and dropped a letter in Harry's lap. Harry stroked Hedwig affectionately and then opened the letter.

__

Dear Harry,

_I'm around for a few days and I'll be staying at the Shrieking Shack. Remus did the place up nice so I could live there if I needed to. He'll be there too, so we can have a real get together. Bring Hermione and Ron, we'd love to see them too._

Love Sirius.

Once he'd finished reading the letter it burst into flames and Hedwig gave a loud squawk, frightened by the flames. Madame Pince shushed them.

"Tomorrow's a Hogsmead weekend, we can go then," Ron said and the three agreed to see him then.

Harry wrote a reply also saying that Ginny would be coming as well.

Hermione went to detention that night. She'd had so many over the past couple of weeks, her record was being completely ruined. 

Neville was shaking all the way down to the dungeon and Hermione put her hand on his shoulder in a comforting gesture. Unfortunately that jolt of electricity went through them, serving to make Neville even more nervous.

Snape rubbed his eyes, which were sore from writing and reading. He needed to get supplies from the Forbidden Forest but he didn't enjoy the prospect of taking Neville Longbottom with him. He would send the boy to Filch and he would get Miss Granger to go with him. He also knew that maybe that wasn't a very good idea either but it had to be done. 

Hermione felt sorry for Neville, as he walked off to his detention with Filch. Although Snape was frightening, Filch gave her the creeps, so Snape was the lesser of two evils. The only problem was that she was battling with her ever changing feelings towards Snape.

Together Hermione and Snape left the castle and headed towards the Forbidden Forest. She was nervous about the prospect of walking around that forest but she was with Snape, a fact that, surprisingly, gave her a lot of comfort. 

The trees made weird shadows on the ground and strange rustling noises could be heard all around.

"Don't worry," Snape said sensing Hermione raised level of anticipation, "we're not going too far in. Not even I'd go deep into this place, at least not without Hagrid."

They got to a clearing, that was surrounded by trees and had numerous plants growing in the middle.

"I need you to pick the blue ones." He pointed his long finger at the blue flowers, that were very attractive, but very dangerous Snape assured her.

He started collecting something a few inches away from her. 

"Why do you not get Professor Sprout to grow these in the green houses?" Hermione asked.

"In a talkative mood again, Mss Granger?" He said darkly. Hermione blushed but Snape did continue. "These are the best conditions for these plants, it's just not the same if you recreate those conditions artificially."

Hermione nodded in understanding. Suddenly there were millions of other questions buzzing around in her head, but Snape surprised her by asking her a question.

"How is Mr Malfoy getting on?"

"Well," Hermione started, "he spends a lot of time with us, but that act wouldn't fool me."

"Why not?" Snape asked looking at her with interest.

"It seems false. He doesn't really join in conversations and it's obvious to anyone that looks properly that there is still a lot of hostility between him and Harry," Hermione said speaking her concerns about this plan. "If him and Harry don't get that sorted, they could blow the whole thing."

"Perhaps we should lock them in a room until they sort out their differences," Snape suggested as a joke. Hermione laughed.

"I think only one would come out alive, and no offence sir but I think it would be Harry." 

"You might be right."

There was a few minutes' silence, and it was a while before Hermione looked up at Snape. He was rubbing his temples with the ends of his fingers like he had a headache.

"Are you all right, sir," she asked in concern.

"Fine," he snapped and Hermione left well alone. That was until he clutched his chest in pain. 

"Sir?" Hermione asked again but this time he didn't reply. Instead he dropped to the ground, naturally falling on his side. His body started to convulse violently and his eyes were screwed shut.

Hermione felt a wave of panic come over her but before she could actually start to panic she found herself standing in the hospital wing.

She looked around, seeing the rows of beds on either side, Snape at her feet still shaking violently. How the hell had she done that? One minute they'd been in the Forbidden Forest and the next they were here.

"Madame Pomfrey!" She shouted noticing the light on in her office. 

The old witch came in and then made a strange squeaking noise when she noticed Snape.

"So that's what's wrong with him," she said quietly to herself. "Make sure he doesn't swallow his tongue, watch him," she said and went it her office.

Hermione knelt beside her professor, and without knowing why she began to stroke his hair. It felt greasy to the touch but she didn't care, she just wanted him to stop fitting.

"It's all right," she said in a soothing voice that she didn't know she had, but that strongly reminded her of her mother. "It's all right, Severus," surprising herself yet again by using his Christian name.

He began to relax and his fit stopped leaving him unconscious. It was only once she had stopped that she realised that Madame Pomfrey was standing there giving her an odd look.

She moved Snape to the nearest bed and woke him up enough to administer a potion.

"Where were you when he started to fit?" Madame Pomfrey asked.

"In the Forbidden Forest," Hermione answered.

"What were you doing there?" She asked giving her that look again.

"Gathering some ingredients, that was my detention," Hermione replied not liking the suspicious look that the nurse was giving her.

"I see. How did you get him up here?" Another question. Hermione felt tired, emotionally drained.

"I don't know. I started to panic and the next thing I knew, we were here."

"You should go to your dormitory now, get some sleep. I'll have to tell the Headmaster about this."

"No!" Hermione cut her off and she looked at the young witch in surprise. "He doesn't want Dumbledore to know," Hermione continued, "he doesn't want him to worry."

"You knew about this?" Hermione saw that look again and nodded.

"He told me because he said it was easier to tell it to someone who didn't care, because the people who did care just got worried," Hermione wished she hadn't said anything. "Please don't tell the Headmaster."

The old woman looked at Hermione's pleading eyes and agreed, reluctantly.

Snape woke up in the hospital wing the next morning. All night, in his sleep he'd heard a soothing calm voice telling him everything was all right. He looked at his surroundings and groaned. Miss Granger must have brought him up here last night. And now Madame Pomfrey would have told Albus, oh bloody hell.

He saw Madame Pomfrey make her way over to him, a look of supreme disapproval on her face.

"Before you panic I haven't told the Headmaster," she said and Snape visibly relaxed in front of her. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Snape said nothing.

"All right you don't have to tell me, but just know this, if I'd had my way I would have told the Headmaster last night. Miss Granger asked me not to, telling me that you didn't want him to worry. So I've decided to let it pass this time, but if it gets worse I will tell him."

Snape left the hospital wing feeling like he was a student again, who'd been duelling in the corridors and needed Madame Pomfrey to patch him up.

He was very grateful to Miss Granger for persuading Madame Pomfrey not to go to the Headmaster. Then he got thinking about that voice in his dreams. Could it have been Miss Granger, it seemed to soft a voice to sound like her. He had no more time to think about this though as he had just caught two Gryffindors going into an abandoned classroom and couldn't resist the urge to embarrass them. He waited a while and then walked in, enjoying the looks of horror on their faces. It more than made up for the lousy night he'd had.

The trio, with Ginny in tow, went off to Hogsmead. The boys went into Weasley's Wizard Wheezes while Hermione and Ginny went to get their dresses.

Ginny bought a plain cream dress that made her look slim and elegant, Hermione was jealous of her friend's wonderful figure.

Hermione found a purple dress that had a corset top, that help to make her breasts look more in proportion with the rest of her body. It was made of silk and the skirt was reached her ankles and the laces that held her corset were black. Ginny said she looked great in it so Hermione didn't hesitate to but the dress.

With that sorted they went outside to meet the boys. They came out of the Weasley twins shop, Ron's ears were smoking and Harry was laughing so hard that his eyes were streaming.

"What happened?" Ginny asked putting her hands on her hips, mimicking Mrs Weasley when she was angry with the twins.

"Exploding jelly beans," Harry managed to say once he'd stopped laughing.

"Tastes nice though," Ron croaked, smoke escaping his lips setting Harry off laughing once again.

They walked towards the Shrieking Shack Harry still cracking up every time smoke emanated from Ron, nearly bursting a kidney when Ron sneezed and a thick jet of smoke shot out of his nose sending him flying backwards.

They walked into the Shrieking Shack and were surprised at how different it looked. It still wasn't decorated but it seemed warmer and not as damp as it had been. There were a few pieces of furniture so that it was at least comfortable, but it was still quite dark, after all it would look suspicious if there was light coming from an abandoned building.

Sirius greeted them with a smile. He was looking good for someone who was on the run. His once black eyes seemed more brown now and his black curly hair was cut short and neat.

The same could not be said for Remus Lupin who looked tired and stressed. His brown hair was greying faster now and he looked thinner than he had done a few months ago. 

"So how is everyone?" Remus asked sinking into an over stuffed old chair that creaked loudly.

Everyone replied that they were fine and said that thins were rather boring. They then went on to tell Sirius and Remus about their new friend Malfoy. The two men raised their eyes at each other but let it pass when Harry said there was a good reason.

Hermione couldn't help noticing that Sirius kept smiling at her. It was a lovely smile, revealing a perfect row of pearly white teeth, her parents would be proud. She just put it down to her over active imagination and ignored it. 

"How are things going with, 'You Know Who'?" Ron asked in a quiet voice.

"Well, he's recently attacked a research laboratory. Kidnapped one of the finest minds in the Ministry," Sirius said in an equally quiet voice.

"Dr Fielding, expert on curses," Remus went on. "Knows just about every curse in the world and the counter curses."

"Brilliant bloke," Sirius said ruefully. "Wonder what they need him for?" He asked thoughtfully.

Everyone was quiet for a while until Sirius began asking Harry how his Quidditch was going, and harry went into detail about their recent victory over Hufflepuff and their pending match with Slytherin.

The afternoon was pleasant and they got the chance to catch up on all the gossip inside and outside of Hogwarts.

"Have you found whose been leaking the information to, er, You Know Who?" Hermione groaned and Harry gave her an evil look.

"Yeah, turned out to be Mills," Remus said, "an Auror. Who'd have thought?"

"Well certainly not you, hey Harry?" Hermione said giving Harry a triumphant and very smug smile. 

Harry gave her a dirty look and then quickly changed the subject.

Once outside away from Sirius and Remus Harry turned to Hermione.

"Do you have to be so smug about it?" He asked angrily.

"Yes as a matter of fact, you see I just love being right," Hermione replied and Harry sneered. "I told you it wasn't Snape, but oh no you know better. Do you realise how much trouble you're going to get yourself in one day?"

The two kept arguing but Ron wasn't listening, he then turned to his bickering friends.

"Hey, where's Ginny?" He asked and they began looking around. The young girl was no where to be seen.

Hermione felt panic come over her yet again as they began frantically looking for Ginny.

"Did she leave with us?" Harry said just as worried as Hermione.

"I wasn't looking, I was too busy listening to you two arguing," Ron said.

They went back to the Shrieking Shack just in time to see Ginny coming out looking very pleased with herself.

"Where the bloody hell have you been?" Ron asked stupidly as if the answer wasn't plainly obvious.

"In there, what's the matter?" Ginny said, her smile fading as she saw the angry looks on her friend's faces.

"We were just worried that's all," Hermione said calmly not wishing to distress her friend, who seemed happier now than she had been all year.

"Well don't be. I'm fine."

Hermione was in the bedroom that she had been given when she was made Head Girl. The liked the solitude of this room, but very often she wished that she was back in the dormitories, listening to Lavender and Parvati. For as annoying as their endless chattering often was it could sometimes be entertaining.

There was a knock on the door and Ginny came in. She seemed a little nervous and as if there was something on her mind.

"You okay, Gin?" Hermione asked motioning for Ginny to sit on the bed beside her.

"I, erm, I wanted to know if," she trailed of and blushed almost as red as her hair.

"If?" Hermione asked.

"If you'd ever had sex?" She said quickly wanting to get it over with.

Oh, erm," Hermione said shocked, not expecting that to be her question. "Yes, I have," she said simply in reply.

"With Viktor?" Her friend asked and Hermione nodded. "Had you been going out long?"

"Well, we'd been writing to each other since my fourth year. He'd send me letters when he was away for a match. So yes, we'd been going out for about two years."

"Did it hurt?" Ginny asked not looking at Hermione.

"Is that what you're worried about?" Ginny nodded, this had obviously been worrying her for some time. "Look, I won't lie, it is a bit painful." Her friend paled and she decided that she'd better soften the truth a little. "It hurts less for some people though. Some say it just stings, you don't know, but it only _really _hurts that first time."

Ginny seemed to feel comforted by these words but Hermione was intrigued by her friend's sudden interest in sex. When she questioned Ginny about this she said, 

"I am seeing someone but I can't tell you. I promised." Hermione left it there and promised not to ask any more questions.

This was just one more thing that Hermione had to add to the section of her brain that she now labelled "strange."

Hermione was walking down the corridor towards the library when she noticed out the window that the snow had been falling. It was covering anything that remained still and the blanket of whit that covered the ground was undisturbed.

She suddenly had an urge to walk in the un-trodden snow. She still had a few hours until curfew so she bolted down the stairs and out of the front doors. It was getting dark but the lights from the school lit the grounds outside. She was the first to make footprints in the crisp snow and delighted in hearing it crunch under her feet.

The light from the door was blocked and she looked up expecting to see Filch, out here to tell her not to walk snow into the carpets. It wasn't though, the silhouette was too tall to be Filch.

"What are you doing, Miss Granger?" The familiar silky voice asked from the doorway.

Hermione shrugged.

"Just had an urge to walk in the snow," she said, "And yourself?" She asked immediately feeling rather cheeky for asking that question.

"I saw you out here, I thought I should say thank you, for stopping Madame Pomfrey going to Dumbledore," he said leaning against the frame of the door.

"You scared me you know," Hermione said and he smiled, at least she thought it was a smile.

"I apologise, although I'll confess I'm not to keen on the experience myself."

Hermione smiled, and shivered as the cold air penetrated her clothes. Snape walked towards her and she felt something being put on her shoulders.

"Try not to catch pneumonia Miss Granger, think of all the work you'll miss," she smiled again and looked up at him. His hands were still on the edges of his cloak as he wrapped it around her shoulders. He looked at her feeling that crackle of electricity again but chose to ignore it this time.

She saw in his eyes an emotion she'd never seen in them before. Just like they flashed with anger and hatred at times they now flashed with something completely different, and it made Hermione gasp slightly.

His head dipped and Hermione felt his lips covering hers. They were thin but not rough like she had expected, and they were warm, a contradiction to his usually cold demeanour.

It was the softest kiss that Hermione had experienced. So unlike the hard rough kisses that Viktor gave her. That tingle of electricity was shooting through her body, but unlike her experience of contact with Neville it wasn't an unpleasant sensation.

He opened his mouth just wide enough to take in her bottom lip. He sucked on it lightly and she moaned quietly at this wonderful sensation. He released her lip and backed away looking apologetic. 

He went to say something but though better of it. He turned and walked away leaving Hermione standing in his cloak, unaware that she was being watched.

She walked back to the Gryffindor tower not wanting to be caught out past curfew, not tonight. She walked into the common room and Ron and Harry asked where she'd been.

"Just out," she replied and went straight to her room. Ron turned to Harry.

"What was she wearing?" He asked referring to the cloak that was about five times to big for Hermione. Harry shrugged and got back to reading his book.

Hermione got to her room collapsing onto the bed. The recent events whirling around in her head. She noticed that she was still wearing the cloak, had been wearing it when she walked in. She inhaled the scent that lingered on it and felt a tightening feeling in her chest.

She was lost in confusion and dizzy from all the thoughts that where spinning in her brain. She feel asleep curled up inside the thick black material of Snape's cloak.


	6. Salazar's Room

Momma-dar: I can't answer your question but I promise that everything will be revealed soon. This is going to be a SS/HG relationship because I think they make a really cool, dysfunctional couple, good to write about as well.

A/N: Thank you again to my reviewers. This chapter contains more graphic sexual material, but not overly graphic I hope. If you don't like the sound of that, then skip this chapter but don't flame me because I warned you, and I am trying to make it tasteful. Thanks for reading this far. 

Chapter Six: Salazar's Room.

Hermione woke up the next morning, wrapped up in the soft black material, that had began to take on her smell now along with the masculine scent it carried the night before.

She groaned as she looked up from the dark cloak and the sunlight hit her eyes. She squinted and looked around as she was trying to remember what had happened last night, and why she was still in her clothes and where had this cloak come from?

Slowly her memory came back to her and she remembered what had happened out in the snow. Then she started to remember the dreams that she'd had. Wonderful, amazing dreams where they had done more than kiss, out in the snow, in the classroom, in this very room, on this very bed. His kiss had sent her heart beat racing and the dreams did nothing for her blood pressure. This was bad, she had gone from admiring and feeling sorry for him to developing a strong undeniable attraction to him, and all without realising it. He was her teacher, there could never be anything between them but her heart ached to admit it. 

Out of the corner of her eye she saw something move, and her eyes darted to see what it was. It was only Crookshanks, waking and stretching, his claws digging into the bed-sheets.

"When did things get so complicated?" She asked the cat, who just sat there looking at her with a bemused expression. 

There was a knock at the door. Hermione lifted herself off the bed and the cloak fell of her shoulders into a heap on the floor. She opened the door. It was Harry.

  
"So you're still here, we've been looking for you," he said.

"Come in," Hermione said standing back so he could enter the room.

"This is a nice room," Harry said looking around. It was the first time he'd seen it.

"Thanks, it has en suite and everything," she said smiling and Harry smiled back.

Harry then noticed a bundle of black material on the floor.

"What's this?" He said lifting it up. Hermione panicked and snatched it out of his hand.

"Nothing!" Harry flinched and watched in amusement as she flung it into the wardrobe.

"If I didn't know any better," Harry said narrowing his eyes suspiciously, "I'd say you were up to something."

Hermione laughed nervously and tried to change the subject.

"Do you have a date for the ball yet?" She asked and Harry grimaced.

"Don't talk to me about that," he said bitterly.

"Why don't you ask that girl in Ravenclaw, Jo?" Hermione suggested.

"There are only so many times a man can take rejection," he said sitting down on the bed.

"Once," Hermione said putting her hands on her hips, "she turned you down once, and only because she'd already yes to someone else, and you've been afraid to ask her again since." Harry blushed. "So come on thrice defeater of Lord Voldemort, stop being a pussy and ask her."

She held grabbed his hands to pull him off the bed. She felt that electricity again, not as strong as with Neville, more like last night with….

She trailed off with that line of thought.

"Are you all right, Hermione?" Harry asked concern evident in his voice. Hermione shook herself mentally.

"Yes, yes I'm fine." She smiled at him. "Come on lets find Jo so you can ask her out." She looked at her watch. "And I should still have time to grab some breakfast."

The two of them left for the Ravenclaw tower to find Jo. Hermione really did need to see Dumbledore, surely Neville, Harry and Snape can't all be heirs, can they?

As Snape had walked back to his rooms after the incident with Hermione his mind was racing. How could he have done something that stupid? He had seen her out there in the snow, and thought how beautiful she looked. He had never thought that a student was beautiful, ever. His attraction to her was something he'd been battling with for weeks now, and every time he thought he'd beaten it, it came back stronger than before. 

He had told her things about himself that he couldn't tell anyone else. He'd told her because he didn't care if she judged him harshly, but now she was the only person he could confide in. And now he was in a much more precarious situation, he was becoming more and more attracted to her everyday.

The kiss had been wonderful, if a bit short lived and he found himself desperately wanting more. His dreams that night, instead of being filled with feelings of guilt and self-hatred where filled with feelings of desire and arousal. Although the thought of her as a student unnerved him slightly he could no longer deny that he wanted her. But he could never have her. She wouldn't really want him, no one could.

"So she said yes?" Ron asked Harry when he told him about asking Jo to the ball.

"Yes, I can't believe this, all these years I thought she didn't like me. I mean last year she went with Dean, I thought she liked him, but she didn't." Harry was the most excited anyone had seen him since he played his first Quidditch match. He kept babbling on about how pretty she was and how much they had in common.

"Hermione are you okay? You've been very quiet," Ron asked.

"I'm fine, it's hard to get a word in when Harry keeps chattering on about his new girlfriend," she said hating to lie to her friends, but she could hardly tell them the truth. Her friends were open-minded, but not _that_ open-minded she thought.

"Sorry, Hermione." Harry said sheepishly, blushing. Hermione smiled at him and told him it was all right.

They went off to Herbology. Hermione was not paying attention in the lesson, all she could think about was _the kiss_.

As they were walking back to the common room to collect their things for Transfiguration they were met in the corridor by Snape. Ron and Harry rolled their eyes thinking that they were in trouble for something. He sneered at them but said nothing.

"Miss Granger, may I have a word with you?" He asked and Hermione's stomach did a mini somersault. She nodded and they walked out of the boys' earshot. He turned back to her. "Could I have my cloak back," he asked his voice as dark and cold as it had always been. Just as if nothing had happened.

"Of course, I'll bring it down after my last class," Hermione said tears threatening to fall, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

He nodded and then walked off. Hermione felt her heart sink. As she suddenly realised just how much she did care about him. And he was just going to forget about it and run off, pretending that he felt nothing. But he had acted first, he started it and it looked like it was up to her to finish it.

It had been hard for Snape too, seeing her in that corridor. However much he tried to forget the kiss and the dreams that followed, he couldn't, they kept coming back to him like memory flashbacks. Seeing her with her two friends sent a wave of jealousy through him as well. They got to be with her all the time. If she wanted to take up with Potter or his ginger sidekick she could, no problems or complications. As hard as it was for him to show his emotions, it was even harder for him to ignore them once he had aroused them.

Later that day, after lessons were over Hermione walked down the stairs to the dungeons feeling colder and colder as she went further underground, into the depths of the schools foundations. When she arrived at the door to Snape's office she knocked and went in when she heard his answer.

"I brought your cloak back," she said and placed the black material on the desk. He ran his hand over it lightly then looked up at her.

"Thank you, Miss Granger, you can go now." Hermione stayed put. She took a deep breath and started.

"Sir, about last night," she started but was cut off.

"I really don't know what you're talking about," he said not looking at her as he spoke. But Hermione was not deterred. 

"You know what I'm talking about, why did you do that?" She asked. He looked up at her, his expression blank, just as she had suspected.

"Why did I do what? I assure you I don't know what you're talking about," he said a slight warning in his voice but Hermione ignored it and carried on, he couldn't do anything not after what he did.

"Why did you kiss me?" She asked in a loud voice. Snape's eyes went wide and his expression turned from neutral to very angry. He got up and slammed the door shut.

"You stupid girl, what are you trying to do to me?" He asked in a savage whisper. He wanted her to get out. It was too difficult to resist her when they were alone together.

"I'm trying to get you to talk about what happened. I think I at least need an explanation."

He sat back down at his desk and dragged his fingers through his hair. She was right, she did deserve an explanation.

"I apologise for what I did last night. I should have exercised more control, am I forgiven?" He asked his face becoming passive once again. He didn't want forgiveness. He wanted her. Hermione shook her head and Snape gave her a puzzled look.

"I don't think you have anything to apologise for," Hermione said and started to walk closer to Snape. "I didn't mind. In fact I liked it."

It was Snape's turn to shake his head this time. He would never understand this woman. She was the Gryffindor Head Girl and should hate him in every way, for everything he stood for.

"You need to go Hermione," he said deciding not to patronise her by calling her 'Mss Granger'. Unfortunately this made Hermione even more determined and she walked towards him again. "You need to go and we both need to forget about this." 

"I can't forget. I've spent the whole day thinking about last night," she said all the time moving towards Snape. "Are you telling me that you felt nothing last night?"

"You have no idea how I felt last night. I'm not an overly affectionate man, and I've never felt anything or one of my students," he said feeling nervous at how close she was getting, but her presence was exciting as well.

"But?" She asked standing very close to him, looking down at him as he was still sitting.

"But after everything, and outside you looked so," he wasn't expressing himself very well and he put it down to her proximity to him. His breathing was shallower now and coming faster. "I just had to," he said in almost a whisper, standing up.

"Had to what?" She said looking up into his eyes, her own glazed over and dreamy looking.

Suddenly he swept her up and was kissing her, not relaxed and slow like he had done the night before but roughly and passionately, claiming her mouth with his own, holding her tightly around her waist, acting out the dreams they had both had that night.

Hermione was thrilled by this kiss. It was different to their last but it was just as exciting, more so even. She kissed him back with an equal passion, and allowed his tongue access into her mouth. She inhaled his scent, which made her feel dizzy and light-headed, so she wrapped her arms around his neck, needing support as her knees buckled.

One of his hands left her waist and reached behind her sweeping everything of his desk. He then pushed her down so she was lying on it, his hands now running over her body, cupping her breasts and teasing the hardening nipples.

She moaned as she felt a spark go through her, but she felt something more intense on top of that.

A sound from outside startled them both, breaking the spell that seemed to be over them. He pulled away from her, and she shivered as the warmth from his body left her. She made a frustrated noise, and Snape looked down at her, a horrified expression on his face.

He stood up and pulled her up with him, so she was standing on her feet. She could have cried when she saw that neutral expression take over his face. She was losing him again.

"Go," he said turning his back to her, his voice devoid of emotion. Hermione's heart sank and her chest felt heavy.

"Please, Severus," she began but was cut off.

"That's Professor Snape to you. You are a student, don't forget that." He pointed at her with his long bony finger then turned back away. 

"How can I forget when you keep reminding me?" She said then walked off, tears coming to her eyes once again.

Snape sank into his chair with his head in his hands. It had hurt him to see her like that, she didn't deserve it, all she had done was care for him and he'd complicated things by developing feelings for her.

Hermione managed to pull herself together before she headed off to dinner, not wanting her friends to see her like that. She entered the Great Hall, greeted by the noise of general chatter and laughter, most of which was coming form the Gryffindor table. They were usually the noisiest table, they used to blame it on the Weasley twins but since they left there had been no excuse.

She sat by her two friends and smiled, putting on a brave face despite how hurt she was. Her best friends always cheered her up though, she would laugh at some of the stories that Harry told about scaring his horrible cousin and Ron would keep them briefed on the latest Weasley twin antics.

Harry and Ron were contemplating having their fifth helping of dinner, but Hermione, who had had quite enough, told them that she was going to get some work done, so she could get it over with. She left the Great Hall that was still packed even though dinner was nearly over.

Outside she saw a familiar handsome face. Bill Weasley. He was standing by the stairs talking to none other than Professor Snape. They seemed to be having a reasonable conversation; not one you'd expect a Weasley to be having with Snape.

Bill laughed and Snape tapped him on the arm lightly and walked off saying goodbye. Bill then turned and noticed Hermione.

"Hi," he said waving his hand and walking over to her.

"Bill, what are you doing here?" Hermione asked as he stood in front of her.

"Oh, I'm here to collect somebody," he said clearly meaning Sirius, "but I thought I'd come and say hi to everyone before I left."

"Even Snape, wow," Hermione said, the hateful words coming quite easily because she was still angry with him.

"Well..erm." He looked around for anybody and then turned to Hermione again. "Don't tell Ron but me and Severus are quite good friends." Hermione was in shock and it must have shown because Bill laughed. "I did some work for the Ministry and I had to be in contact with him, we became quite good friends. Don't laugh."

Hermione couldn't help laughing. She was trying to imagine Ron's face if he found out.

"So why don't you want Ron to know, are you ashamed?" She asked and Bill shook his head.

"Oh no nothing like that it's just, Ron would never believe me if I said he was an all right bloke so I just keep quiet."

"An all right bloke?" Hermione asked not really following his thinking on that one.

"Yeah, he's all right. He's funny, not as nasty as he seems here. I know an old friend of his from school and he tells me stories about him, funny most of them he wasn't as bad as Sirius would have you believe. He's a bit messed up perhaps but you would be too if you'd seen the things he has." Bill shivered at the memory of the things Snape had told him.

"Yeah, I understand," Hermione said feeling relieved that she wasn't the only one who had seen past his cold exterior. 

"I thought you would, an intelligent girl like yourself. I tell you that guy's a genius, but like a lot of intellectuals he doesn't understand stuff that doesn't have a rational explanation, so he's not very good at being sociable, you just have to keep on at him."

Hermione thought about this. She had almost given up on Snape, but after what Bill had said she just couldn't. 

"Listen Bill I got to go. Good to see you again." She walked away.

"Yeah see ya!" Bill shouted after her as she ran away. He watched her run away confused about her hasty departure but forgot about it when Harry and Ron came out of the Great Hall.

Hermione ran down the steps to the dungeons completely ignoring the Bloody Baron as he glared at her.

She saw Snape walking down the corridor that led to his office.

"Sir!" She shouted after him and ran to catch him up. He turned and his shoulders slumped when he realised who it was. He really didn't have the energy to resist her anymore.

"What do you want?" He asked in a harsh voice wanting her to leave him alone.

"I wanted to speak to you, I, ah," she squealed as the corridor started moving. "What's going on?" She asked clinging to Snape's robes.

"The corridor's moving. It hasn't done this since I was at school," he said looking around.

"I thought only the stairs move," she said still clinging to him.

"As I said this corridor hasn't done it for years," he replied.

When the corridor stopped moving they looked to the end and saw a door, a large oak door with a massive silver snake attached to it.

"What's that?" She asked pointing to the door.

"Well, no one knows really, but most people believe it's Salazar Slytherin's personal room," Snape said as they walked towards it for a better look.

"What's inside?" She asked again intrigued by this new find of hers.

"No one knows that either. A few of us tried to get in once but we never managed it. Probably need parseltongue like with the Chamber of Secrets."

Hermione walked up to the door and ran her finger lightly over the snake. She concentrated, imaging it to be real, almost seeing it move. 

"Open up," she said but it must have come out in parseltongue as the door swung open with a loud creak. 

She stood there in shock, she didn't think it would work, she'd never been able to use parseltongue before. She'd only tried as a joke and now Snape was looking at her as if she'd just grown another head.

"I didn't know you could do that," he said his mouth open in shock staring at her, a bit suspicious at her.

"Neither did I," she admitted. "Mind you I've never had to." She faced the door and pushed it further open.

The two of them walked through the door into a room painted in green and silver. They looked around. It was huge but warm, not cold like the rest of the dungeons were. There was a large bed with green and silver hangings surrounding it, the bed sheets were the same colours, and made of a very expensive fine material. There were lots of pillows scattered at the head of the bed and they were also the same Slytherin colours.

"You were right, this is Slytherin's room," Hermione said looking around in wonder. The room seemed alive with some how, she could feel the presence of others as if the room was packed full of people.

The furniture was also expensive and ancient, everything must be centuries old, why was it all still here?

  
"Why is this furniture still here, you'd think it would have started to rot or something," Hermione asked.

"There must be a spell preserving everything. Maybe he wanted his heir to have it," Snape said running his hands over the furniture.

"Do you want to invite him, or shall I?" Hermione asked smiling. Snape chuckled a bit, but then turned rather serious.

"I'd like to think that Salazar Slytherin would not be proud of Voldemort," he said "maybe that's just me being the proud Slytherin."

Hermione didn't know how to answer this one. She had forgotten about Voldemort being the Heir of Slytherin, did that mean that she was bound to protect him? She put it on her list of 'things she needed to ask Dumbledore.' She looked at Snape and lightly touched his arm. He was startled at first but smiled at her a bit.

"This place isn't as bad as I thought it would be," Hermione said.

"Oh?" Snape asked.

"Yeah, I pictured more torture implements," she said with a cheeky smile and he hit her on the arm lightly.

She walked over to the wardrobe and opened it. There were no clothes; Salazar Slytherin must have emptied the wardrobe when he left the founders. She did however find a green and silver scarf, like the ones that the Slytherin's wore only this one didn't bear the Slytherin snake.

"Check this out," she said and picked up the scarf and wrapped it around her neck, liking the soft feel of the material.

"Do you think you should be wearing that?" Snape asked with an amused tone. 

"What, don't you think I look good in your house colours Professor?" She asked in a slightly seductive tone.

He had to admit that she did look good in that scarf. He found himself unwillingly aroused by the image in front of him and her tone of voice.

She walked closer to him, not forgetting why she came to look for him in the first place.

"What are you doing to me?" He asked looking down at her, no longer trying to deny his feelings right now.

"I think I should be asking you the same question," Hermione said standing directly in front of him feeling the heat radiating from his body, she was so close. "For a while now I've been seeing you in a completely different light. Last night I had so many dreams about you, so many wonderful dreams, where you did more than kiss me." She felt very brave at that moment.

'Gods,' Snape thought feeling his trousers getting tight.

"You don't know what you're getting yourself into, you know my past, it's not pretty."

"I don't bloody well care," Hermione said not caring about anything that happened years ago, only caring about what was happening at that precise moment.

"Well you should. I'm not friendly, or romantic. I can carry grudges for years, I'm shallow and have tendencies to be selfish." He stopped speaking and pulled up his sleeve, showing her the mark that was imbedded in the soft white flesh. "Do you want someone who bears that?"

She looked at it and then looked back at him, her face clearly said that she didn't care about the mark.

"Yes," Hermione whispered, curling her arms around his neck.

"Then Merlin help you," he whispered back before pulling her into a kiss that made them both dizzy.

He pulled the scarf from around her neck and dropped it to the floor. Her hands sank into his hair, the roots her not as greasy as the rest of it but she didn't care about his hair anyway. She ran her fingernails over his scalp lightly and he moaned into their kiss, and pulled her tightly to him.

Moving her hands down his neck and around to his chest she began to fumble with the buttons of his robes. When she finally managed to get the buttons undone she pushed the robes off his shoulders, only to see another row of buttons that held a black shirt together.

She moaned in frustration. Many Wizards didn't wear clothes under their robes and she had assumed that he would be one of those Wizards.

"It's cold in that classroom," he said as if he'd read her mind. 

She stepped back and removed her robe revealing a simple blue tee shirt and a pair of blue jeans. Being a Muggleborn she'd never got used to wearing nothing under the robes, it felt uncomfortable. She then removed her shirt in one movement, her hair flicking up as she pulled it over her head. She was wearing a dark blue, lacy bra underneath, her nipples straining against the material as they peaked due to arousal.

Snape strode over to her and lifted her into another passionate kiss as he stumbled towards the huge bed. They landed on the soft material never breaking the kiss, their hands running over each other exploring, memorising.

A pile of their clothes had collected on the floor next to the bed and soon they were both naked, entwined on the cool sheets.

Hermione felt his lips everywhere making her whole body tingle. He was a lot gentler than she had expected. She had always imagined him liking a bit rough but although it was passionate it was gentle almost loving.

He reached down to check how ready she was for him, knowing that he wouldn't be able to control himself much longer. He swore softly when he found that she was very ready and he decided not to hold back any more.

"Please tell me you're not a virgin," he pleaded before swirling his tongue around her nipple making her cry out.

"No I'm not, but I've never felt like this," she said breathlessly as she reached down to grasp his erection. She was pleased with what she found and she raised an eyebrow at him. He then gave her a devastatingly handsome smile, which made her groan and pull his face down for another kiss.

He didn't waste any more time, and as he entered her and revelled in the way she cried out in pleasure against his lips.

Hermione thought she would pass out with the intense pleasure that was doubled by the buzz of electricity that always ran through them when they touched. She felt herself raising higher and higher, higher than she'd ever reached, even with her encounters with Viktor. This was amazing. 

Snape was also finding the sensations overwhelming. After the months of pain that he'd endured to feel such fierce pleasure was amazing and refreshing. He fought the urge to cry out, wanting to appear in control, still feeling insecure despite of everything.

She was vaguely aware that she was making a lot of noise, crying out, repeating his name over and over again and telling him how good it all felt. He was silent save for a few gasps, but for some reason she'd suspected he would be, it seemed to suit him 

Then she felt that familiar explosion inside but it was more intense than anything she'd felt before. She cried out and then felt him stiffen as he reached his own peak. He climaxed silently and then collapsed on top of her hugging her tightly.

She felt him shaking and she started to stroke his hair. He moved off her and lay on his side looking at her. She smiled at him.

"I'm cold now," she said. He snapped his fingers and the covers folded over, enveloping the both of them.

"We shouldn't have done that," Snape stated running a finger down the side of her neck.

"I'm passed caring," she replied. "The whole of the Wizarding world is on the brink of war, against one of the most powerful Wizards, who has made almost everyone unhappy. We all need some happiness in life."

Snape pulled her closer and they snuggled into the sheets, both needing to forget about the world outside this room.


	7. Asius Smith

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, keep them coming I love to read them. This chapter will answer a few questions.

Chapter Seven: Asius Smith.

Hermione a few hours later to feel someone shifting beside her. When she opened her eyes she saw Snape climbing out of the bed reaching for his clothes.

"Going somewhere?" She said startling him. He looked at her and she smiled. She looked beautiful lying there her hair spread out on the pillow, wrapped only in the green and silver sheets.

"I have to be going," he said. "So do you, your friends will be wondering where you are."

"Let them wonder." He gave her an impatient look and she giggled. "All right I'll get going."

As he reached over to grab his clothes Hermione noticed something on the small of his back. 

"What's that?" She asked leaning over for a closer look. 

"A tattoo," he said knowing what she was referring to.

It was a black tattoo saying 'Severus.'

"I have two more, and this thing," he said pointing to the dark mark on his arm. "I'm surprised you missed one of them." He stood up and faced her giving her a view of the snake wrapped around a sword that was tattooed on his hipbone.

"Where's the other one?" She asked, and he showed her the third tattoo that was on his ankle. It was a lizard.

"Wow, I guess you like tattoo's."

They got dressed silently, and Hermione had a horrible feeling that he was going to back out of all this once more. He turned to her.

"Hermione," he started but she decided she'd speak first.

"Look if you're going to run away again don't think I'm going to make it easy for you!" She shouted pulling her tee shirt roughly over her head.

"I understand, but you must see the impropriety of all this," he said in a softer tone than she was used to hearing, it made her stop and listen. "As a teacher at a boarding school I'm acting under loco parentis, do you understand what that means?" He asked but it was a rhetorical question, of course she knew what it meant. "It means that I'm supposed to look after you, not jump into bed with you the first chance I get."

Hermione now understood, she was thinking clearly for the first time in days. It wasn't that they couldn't be together it was that they couldn't be together _now_.

He walked over to her and cupped her face in his hand.

"Go back to the common room. Talk and laugh with your friends and stop Potter and Weasley getting into trouble."

"Can I come and talk to you later?" She asked. "Not for long I just need to get some things sorted out." He nodded 

"All right," he said, "come to my office at eight. Tell your friends I gave you detention."

With that agreed they walked off and went their separate ways. Hermione knew, whether it was magic or just female intuition that there would be no repeat of their previous actions, not now, not ever, unless she could persuade him otherwise.

With the tears threatening to fall for the third time that day Hermione walked up the stairs and into the warmer more comforting part of the castle.

On the way to the common room she saw Dumbledore talking to Professor Binns, who was jabbering on about the misbehaviour of a student.

"Miss Granger," Dumbledore said as she passed. "May I have a word?" He asked and Hermione nodded. She was getting sick of rhetorical questions. She couldn't very well say, 'no Headmaster you may not have a word.' He turned back to the ghostly form of Professor Binns and told him he'd deal with the student.

He turned back to Hermione when Binns had disappeared around a corner.

"I believe you've been trying to get hold of me, Miss Granger," he said smiling broadly and she said yes. "I apologise for being away but with things as they are these days." He didn't finish that sentence but Hermione understood.

"There were some questions I needed to ask you," Hermione said and Dumbledore led them to his office. He offered Hermione a seat and then sat down opposite her.

"Now Miss Granger, what questions did you want to ask?" He said offering her a dish of Sherbet lemons, which she declined politely.

"Well the first is," she started, "if I am bound to protect the heirs of the four founders, then am I bound to protect Voldemort?" She held her breath while she awaited Dumbledore's answer. He smiled at her.

"This is entirely my fault Miss Granger, I should have told you. You are only bound to protect the heirs of three of the founders. Salazar Slytherin gave up his right to a protector when he left." Hermione let out the breath that she'd been holding and she felt like a great weight had been lifted from her. "Any more questions?" The old man asked kindly.

"Yes, erm, I don't know how to put this. When one of the heirs touches me I feel this spark of electricity, yet I've found that this happens with a lot of people, surely they can't all be heirs?" Dumbledore thought about this for a moment.

"My dear, the magic you posses is a very raw magic, it's uncontrollable. You are duty bound to protect the heirs of the founders, but you feel honour bound to protect those you care about. You may find there is a subtle difference between the reaction you get with an heir and the reaction you get with others."

"Yes," Hermione said, "the spark I feel is weaker. The strong spark must be an heir, I understand now." Hermione suddenly felt a lot better now, the sense of relief was amazing. "Thank you Headmaster."

Dumbledore placed his hand over Hermione's and they felt a tingle of electricity. Hermione blushed at this and giggled.

"I'm flattered Miss Granger." She stood to leave but Dumbledore had something else to say. "So who else do you feel the spark with?" He asked stopping Hermione in her tracks.

"Oh, erm, Harry, erm and a few others," she said looking at the floor not meeting the Headmasters gaze.

"Professor Snape?" He asked plainly. Hermione lifted her head to look the old man in the eyes.

"Yes," she said simply and was surprised when she saw Dumbledore smile. 

"I thought so." He studied Hermione for a few seconds. "Tread carefully Miss Granger, but don't give up hope." It was a cryptic message but she interpreted it to mean that she should continue with Snape but be discreet. Of course she may be wrong. 

She decided that she needed some serious cheering up so she was grateful when she heard that Sirius was back again. She found it very unusual that someone who was on the run from the law would keep coming back to such an obvious place, but she was happy none the less.

"He'll be at Hagrid's at ten o'clock," Harry whispered to his friends. "We'll sneak out under the cloak."

Away from the safety of Hogwarts a group of scientists were meeting in a room in a secret Ministry research centre. The room was quite dark, as not many lights were lit.

"No minutes are being taken of this meeting, remember you were never here," a tall thin man with thick rimmed glasses said. "You all know why we're here, but Fudge doesn't want any outsiders to know about this meeting, we have had trouble with spies for You Know Who."

They were engaged in a conversation and where too caught up in it to notice people surrounding building.

The next thing they knew men, wearing silver masks and dark robes were surrounding the table they were sitting at. The scientists where too shocked to do anything, they just sat there frozen.

"Which one of you is Dr Kauffman?" A tall man with a deep, gruff voice asked.

None of the scientists answered, they were too scared. They just sat there with looks of panic on their now deathly pale faces. Some of them were sweating as their nerves got the better of them.

"We can always make you tell us so why not save yourself the agony?" The same man said and started pacing around the table looking at all the men carefully.

"I'm Kauffman," the thin pale man with thick rimmed glasses said standing up. Two men from either side grabbed his arms while the other walked towards him. He gave an evil laugh.

"The Dark Lord wants to talk to you," he said and the man paled even more.

Outside, while all this was going on in the research centre, a man in his fifties, with dark brown hair and deep blue eyes was smoking a cigarette. He inhaled deeply on the cigarette, his hand shaking slightly as he did so. 

He was not wearing a mask, nor was he wearing the dark robes that the other men wore. He was short and his blue Muggle jeans were far too long in legs. He wore white trainers and a dark blue tee shirt that looked extremely baggy. 

He seemed very nervous and jumpy. Every little noise made him look around, startled.

"No!" Dr Kauffman shouted feeling his knees give way with fear "No please!" He pleaded, knowing rationally that his pleas would get him nowhere but he was beyond rational thought. "Please!"

The men surrounding the table laughed at him.

"Pathetic!" The group's leader said spitting in the doctor's face. "Come now, you wouldn't want to keep our Lord waiting." He gestured for the other men to take him away then turned to the rest of them. "Deal with them," he said pointing to the other scientists.

The small man from outside ran into the building, he had stubbed out the cigarette and he looked very panicked.

"Aurors!" He shouted to the other men and they quickly disposed of the remaining scientists. The small man watched, sickened by this act of senseless violence, but the Dark Lord liked the to make a clean job of it.

To apparate the Death Eaters had to leave the grounds of the centre because of the anti apparition wards that were around all Ministry building. They ran out and disappeared one by one.

As the smaller man ran he dropped his wand because his hands were shaking so badly. He went to retrieve it but the Aurors were right behind and were catching up on him.

He decided to chance it and apparate anyway, better to be splinched than rotting in Azkaban.

He tried to concentrate on getting home where he would go into hiding with the other men he accompanied that night. 

Unfortunately, he was never good at wandless magic and ended up in a small village that was very familiar to him. Hogsmead. He looked around, knowing that the Aurors would track him down and would be popping up any minute. An idea struck him.

"Severus," he whispered to himself, remembering the young man he helped escape.

He changed into his animagus form of a small brown dog and ran towards the gates of the school.

"Of course I understand how much trouble we'd be in," Hermione said to Snape as they sat in his office. "But I really don't want to give up on this."

Snape sighed, there was no way the young woman was going to give up, she was determined.

"And after what Dumbledore said,"

"That was very ambiguous," Snape said, "he may have meant something completely different."

"So you're saying that's it?" Hermione said folding her arms over her chest.

"No that's not what I'm saying, I'm saying that," he paused trying to find the right words. "If this is found out you won't be known as the clever girl who was the best student. You'll be known as the student who slept with her teacher to get good grades." Hermione went to protest but Snape raised his hand to silence her. "It's untrue and unfair, but that is what people will say."

Hermione had to admit that what he was saying made sense. She'd worked so hard to get recognition, she wouldn't want to mar people's view of her intelligence.

"Can we still be together?" She asked and Snape went to argue but she cut him off. "Not like that, but just together, there's nothing wrong with that, is there?"

"No there's nothing wrong with that, but you will soon get bored," he said his voice sounding sad and rueful. 

"I'd like to try though," she said still as determined as ever.

He smiled but only slightly and it was gone as quick as it had come, but Hermione had learned to recognise it.

They then heard a noise outside and then there was a knock on the door. Snape stood to answer it and when he did he saw a familiar man standing there.

"Asius?" He said looking at the smaller man in shock. 

"I came to talk to you," he said nervously looking around for somebody. "Can I come in for a second?" Snape nodded and let him pass. He didn't notice Hermione.

"What are you doing here?" Snape asked and the man laughed.

"Came here by mistake, never was any good at wandless magic." He pulled out a cigarette. "Do you mind if I smoke?" Snape shook his head then lit his friends cigarette with a flame conjured from the end of his wand.

"Why didn't you just go home after you came here?"

"Because the Aurors are after me, they have my wand," Asius said drawing on his cigarette and inhaling the smoke deeply.

"Aurors? What have you done now?" Snape asked.

"Another kidnapping. Dr Kauffman, he's working on a way to bring people back to life when they've been hit with the killing curse, you know like the Muggles do with their dead people."

"What does the Dark Lord want with him?"

"Well, he needs people like that too. Lot of ours were lost when the Aurors stormed the Riddle House." By this time Asius had finished his first cigarette and was lighting another one with the previous. 

"Listen," he continued, "I've come to tell you that the Death Eaters are very disillusioned."

"Disillusioned, why?" Snape asked sitting down on the desk bringing him down to Asius' height.

"I've told you, we lost a lot of our boys in the last raid, and the Dark Lord doesn't really seem that bothered. He's too obsessed with the boy."

"Do you mean Harry?" Hermione spoke up for the first time. Asius jumped, he really had only just noticed her.

"Who are you?" He asked eyeing her suspiciously.

"This is Hermione Granger, she a student here, but she can be trusted," Snape said.

"Asius Smith," the man said holding out his hand for Hermione to shake. His fingers were square and neat but had tobacco stains at the tips. "I'm afraid you're not meeting me under the best of circumstances." He smiled and Hermione smiled back. He was rather handsome despite his age and the lifestyle he led..

"Asius you can't go back to the Dark Lord now, not when the Aurors have your wand," Snape said.

"You're right, I'll have to go on the run, and it'll be a toss up to see who gets to me first, the Aurors or Voldemort."

"Help us. Turn against Voldemort, the Ministry will make sure you're safe," Snape said appealing to his friend. Asius shook his head.

"I can't, I'm going to Azkaban anyway, I'll never be pardoned."

"Then at least tell the ministry everything you know. It might work out in your favour."

"No Severus, I'm sorry but I can't. I will be killed." Asius said stubbing out his second cigarette.

"If Voldemort catches up on you you're dead anyway. At least this way you'll be doing something good."

Noises were coming from outside of the castle. The three people in the office looked around and the atmosphere tense and heavy.

"I know this sounds a bit of a cliché but does this place have a back door?" Asius asked.

"Yes, go through that door there," Snape said pointing to a door that had just appeared in the wall, "and kick the wall by the window, you can get out that way."

Asius set off into a run and Snape pulled Hermione out of the office.

"Who is that?" Hermione asked as they walked out of the door.

"That is the man that saved my life. He convinced me to leave the Death Eaters." Snape shut the door and pulled out his wand. "You might not believe this but some of the nicest people I've met were Death Eaters. There not bad people some of them." Snape locked the door. "People like Asius are used as lackeys by Voldemort, they're considered expendable."

"That's horrible, he seems so nice." Hermione said as they walked down the corridor towards the classroom.

"He is nice, but Voldemort doesn't care, even his own followers are turning against him."

They walked into the classroom hearing the Aurors storm down the stairs to search the dungeons. Suddenly a horrible thought struck Hermione. The shock must have shown.

"What's wrong?" Snape asked her seeing her shock.

"Sirius is here," she whispered so the Aurors wouldn't here. 

"Shit," Snape said under his breath. "Silly bastard, I told him not to, told him it was too obvious."

An Auror walked into the classroom.

"We are Aurors from the Ministry," the man said in an authoritative tone like the ones the police used. "We have reason to believe that a active Death Eater is on the premises. Is there a back door?"

Knowing that he had to co-operate Snape showed him to the door that Asius had left by.

Asius was running as fast as he could across the grounds of the school. It was dark so he couldn't see properly and didn't see when a man appeared in front of him. They collided and both fell to the floor with a crack.

"Sorry," Asius said breathlessly, getting back on his feet ready to run away again.

It was too late though. This had given the Aurors time to catch up and they were now surrounding both him and the man he'd collided with.

"Stop! You can't escape now!" Said an Auror.

"Hey, Boss, look," said a younger Auror. "That's Sirius Black."

"Get him!" The Aurors grabbed him, not really caring about Asius not now they had a bigger prize. "Sirius Black you are under arrest. You will be taken back to Azkaban prison where you will await sentencing."

"No!" Somebody shouted but it wasn't Sirius. He'd passed out with the shock of being caught. Two figures came out from under a cloak. Harry and Ron.

Hermione and Snape had joined the rest of the group wondering what had happened.

"Let him go he hasn't done anything!" Harry shouted.

"He was in league with He Who Must Not Be Named," an Auror said.

"No!" Harry argued. "No he wasn't! He wouldn't do that!"

"What would you know?" Sneered another Auror.

"Don't you even know who you're talking to?" Snape asked and they all turned to look at him.

"I don't care," said the leading Auror.

"That's Harry Potter!" Snape shouted. "This man is accused of causing the death of his parents. Do you really think he'd be defending him if he wasn't sure of his innocence?"

"That's not for us to decide." Said the Auror reluctantly and then turned to Asius. "You will come with us as well." 

Taking the men outside the grounds they apparated leaving Harry, Ron, Snape and Hermione just standing there not knowing what to do.

"But surely they'll listen to you," Harry asked Dumbledore when the four of them went up to his office to ask for his advice.

"I am not the Minister of Magic, there is very little I can do," Dumbledore said sadly.

"But he asks you your advice on everything," Ron said, "my dad's always saying that."

"I fear that he won't listen to me about this."

"Are you saying that Fudge wants a scapegoat and he's decided to use Black?" Snape said.

  
"Yes, Severus. I fear that is exactly what Fudge is doing." Dumbledore sat back in his chair. "What about this other man, the one who knows you. Who is he?"

"His name is Asius Smith. He was one of me best friends while." He trailed off not really wanting to discuss this in front of Harry and Ron. "He came to tell me that Voldemort's own followers are turning against him. His support is weakening."

"Why are is followers deserting him?" Dumbledore asked.

"Asius told me that they feel Voldemort is too obsessed with Potter."

"You mean he wants to kill me?" Harry asked.

"Yes, but his supporters don't think of you as a threat. To them you are just a seventeen year old boy."

"Do you think this decline in support will hinder Voldemort?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes, but the Death Eaters won't help us, whether they're loyal or not, they are afraid of Azkaban, who wouldn't be," Snape said shuddering at the thought. "That is why Asius is staying quiet."

"I will see what I can do about Mr Smith. He may be of some use to us. You are to tell no one this information, do you understand?" They all nodded. "The students will be told that a the Aurors were looking for someone but did not find anything, and that there is no need to worry. They will not be told Mr Smith's identity."

"What about Sirius?" Harry asked.

"I fear that the Ministry will want to gloat about their capture of Mr Black. It will be all over the Daily Prophet. I can not stop the students finding out about that."

Feeling tired and physically drained the Harry, Ron, Snape and Hermione left Dumbledore's office. Snape and Harry had made some sort of unsaid truce, putting their hatred aside until all of the problems had been resolved. There was still a lot of hostility between them but they agreed that if they couldn't say anything nice they wouldn't say anything at all.

Saying goodnight they all went to their separate beds and despite the worry that was hanging over them they feel straight to sleep. 


End file.
